FORT STEWART, Ga. - Operations are a common term throughout the Army, marking milestones in campaigns.
Operation Thinking Outside the Box is one such milestone, highlighting the beginning of change in the Army’s food service industry, for Fort Stewart dining facilities at least. Soldiers from across the division are hand selected to work at The Ford Plantation in Richmond Hill for 4-6 weeks, training under the discerning eye of Executive Chef Juan Carlos Rodriguez.
“The Soldiers are great,” said Rodriguez, “It has been a terrific program. Not only are the Soldiers learning, but it also helps teach my staff how to delegate.
Rodriguez, who has a colorful cooking history ranging from family cooking to being a guest chef at the 15th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, helped create the exchange program.
“When I was employed by the Ford Plantation,” he said, “They had a great relationship with Fort Stewart and so I thought, ‘this is my chance to make an exchange program.’ So we took it to Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Phillips, who was a brigadier general at the time and the deputy commanding general-rear for 3rd Infantry Division.”
The Ford Plantation’s pilot program, which is planned to be a model for similar exchange programs throughout the country, is a way for Soldiers to acquire new culinary tactics that go beyond the military’s 21-day menu rotation.
“We have been very pleased with this innovative partnership and appreciate the opportunity for our chefs to learn new ways of preparing food for their fellow Soldiers,” said Chief Warrant Officer William Liggon, division food advisor for Fort Stewart. “Our chefs are learning new strategies, new techniques and new recipes at The Ford Plantation that have been extremely well-received by the Soldiers of Fort Stewart.”
For the Soldiers in the course, it is both a culture shock and a learning experience.
“Learning the civilian way of the food industry was amazing,” said Spc. Sheanta Scott, 546th MP Company food service specialist, “Every day was different. I’m going to be able to go back to my unit and share my experience with other Soldiers. “I think it’s a great opportunity for Soldiers, especially for those who aren’t going to be in the Army as a career and like the food industry.”
The program kept the Soldier’s on their toes, removing prepared three-week menus in lieu of daily changes with fresh ingredients.
“We change our menu every night instead of coming up with one for three weeks or even a month,” said Rodriguez.
The course also gave the Soldiers a window into the world of a civilian chef, where impromptu creativity is a must.
“The most important thing I have learned is that when it comes to food service you have to think outside the box,” said Sgt. Ned Thomas, 1st Brigade, 3rd Brigade Support Battalion food service sergeant, “I’ve learned a lot from each person here. Everybody has their own styles of cooking, so if you ask one person you might get a different answer or find a new way of going about doing something than you would another.”
The pilot program has a tall order, bringing about change in the Army’s current system of pre-prepared meals.
“I’ve been in the food service industry for about 26 years,” said 3rd Infantry Division Food Service Sgt. Maj. David Turcotte, “In and out of the Army. We currently do a lot of pre-prepared stuff, we used to do a lot of stuff from scratch in the past and now we want to get back into it.”
Sergeant Major Turcotte, who has worked for Marriott and General Mills as well as owned a few of his own restaurants, believes the training is an irreplaceable cog in the Fort Stewart food service machine.
“The more you see as a chef the better you are,” he said. “Sometimes, they don’t realize what they have learned being here until they start getting into the dining facility and using some of those traits.”
The future of the food service in the Army remains uncertain. As key leaders hearken back to the wholesome methods of cooking and new studies show the healthiness of various forms of cuisine we may find ourselves on the brink of a golden age for military food service. If the food service command has anything to say about it, Operation Thinking Outside of the Box will bring about change.
“That’s why these programs are popping up from sergeants major and warrant officers all around the United States,” said Sgt. Maj. Turcotte, “To get cooks back into making food from scratch.”
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