FORT HOOD, Texas - Inside Phantom Centralized Hub on Feb. 17, Army culinary specialists stood behind carefully prepared plates as celebrity chef and military advocate Robert Irvine moved from station to station, studying each dish before offering detailed feedback drawn from decades of experience in professional kitchens and his military service.
The visit came days before the team’s departure to Fort Lee, Virginia, where they will compete under American Culinary Federation standards beginning Feb. 27 and concluding March 4.
For the 10 Fort Hood Soldiers selected from an initial group of 30 competitors, Irvine’s mentorship and feedback served as a technical refinement session and a confidence boost at a critical moment in their preparation for the competition.
Irvine observed each team’s work, commenting on knife cuts, flavor balance and plating techniques while reinforcing a broader message about adaptability, a skill essential to military food service.
“We should be able to do something with something somewhere,” Irvine said. “It doesn’t matter what we’re given, we still have to feed Soldiers. That’s the job.”
Drawing on his military background, he reminded the culinary specialists their profession is often underrecognized despite its direct impact on morale and readiness.
“Keep pushing hard. Don’t take no for an answer,” Irvine said. “Continue to learn and practice your craft, because the Soldiers you cook for need it. And when you get outside, you’re going to need it as well. So listen, lead and lead by example.”
Sgt. Maj. Michael Bogle, senior food service noncommissioned officer, 1st Cavalry Division, said having someone of Irvine’s stature engage directly with junior Soldiers reinforced the importance of their role in the Army.
“To have someone at that level not only taste their food but explain how to elevate it, how to refine a technique or rethink presentation, means a lot,” Bogle said. “He’s well known, but he’s humble. The Soldiers were absorbing everything he said.”
Bogle explained the team selection process required months of evaluation, with participants judged on teamwork, professionalism, execution and consistency.
Five junior chefs with less than two years of experience were selected alongside five more seasoned culinarians, creating a balanced team capable of competing at a high level.
Spc. Carolina Sanchez, a culinary specialist with 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cav. Div., said Irvine’s visit reinforced the significance of the moment after six months of preparation.
“We have trained for six months, and now next week we leave it all on stage,” Sanchez said. “Chef Irvine knows and feels what we’re going through. His words motivated all of us.”
For Pfc. Alexandra Carlos, a culinary specialist with the 553rd Field Feeding Company, 61st Quartermaster Battalion, 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command, the experience reflected his growth since joining the team.
“At first I thought I was just doing it to get out of the dining facility,” Carlos said. “But after a couple weeks, I started to love it. I was learning skills not only from my leadership but also from my team. Having someone like Chef Irvine come in and show us new techniques just pushes you even more.”
Sgt. Jason de la Mora, a culinary specialist with the 553rd Field Feeding Co. who transitioned from years working primarily in meats to training in pastry for the competition, described the process as a reflection of Army values.
“As a noncommissioned officer, our main job is to learn and adapt,” de la Mora said. “That’s exactly what this experience does. You’re placed in different scenarios, and you grow from it.”
Beyond culinary execution, Bogle emphasized competitions like this strengthen leadership, discipline and pride within the force.
“First and foremost, we’re Soldiers,” Bogle said. “We still have to qualify, maintain standards and be ready. But this shows the level of culinary expertise we bring to the fight. It sharpens us.”
As the team prepares to depart for Fort Lee, Irvine’s message resonates: excellence in the kitchen directly supports the readiness of the force.
“The cooks are the world to me,” Irvine said. “I will never stop going to see them and giving them that push to stay in.”
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