Pfc. Joseph Headman, a member of the Fort Bliss culinary arts team, prepares a dish during an event at the 34th annual U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition, held Thursday and Friday at Fort Lee, Va. The team earned silver medals in the Field Cooking and Contemporary and Pastry categories.
Photo by Mike Strasser.
Culinary Arts
Fort Bliss chefs earn 2 silver medals in 34th annual cooking competition
Army News Service
Fort Lee Public Affairs
FORT LEE, Va. – Teams took to the kitchen March 2 through Friday for the 34th annual U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition, during which the Fort Bliss team won two silver medals.
Of the eight events featured in the competition, Fort Bliss chefs earned second-place honors in the Field Cooking and Contemporary and Pastry categories.
Inside McLaughlin Hall, chefs showed their expertise in the contemporary categories. The big news could be found in the entrance as the team standings board began to show gold, silver and bronze markings.
Bronze medals were awarded to the Armed Forces Chef of the Year competitors from Fort Sill, Okla.; U.S. Army Reserve; Hawaii; Korea; Europe; Fort Carson, Colo.; Air Force; Marine Corps; and Fort Hood, Texas. Silver medals went to Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Riley, Kan.; and the Coast Guard competitors.
Fort Myer, Va., and the Navy competitors earned the only gold for this event. The Field Cooking competition was a sold-out event, as tickets went out to 240 lucky diners who had the opportunity to sample the menus from one of four teams competing outside in the containerized kitchens.
The results found Fort Bragg with the gold medal, while Fort Sill and Korea earned silver for their efforts.
Winners in the other major competition categories were:
• Armed Forces Chef of the Year: CS1 Michael Edwards: U.S. Navy
• Armed Forces Junior Chef of the Year: Spc. Javier Muniz: Fort Bragg, N.C.
• Field Cooking Competition: First Place, Team Hawaii; Second Place, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Third Place, U.S. Coast Guard
• Student Team Skills Competition: First Place, Team Hawaii (Spcs. Christopher Bohn, Ashley Schei and Christopher Bates, and Pfc. Fernando Martinez)
• Nutritional Hot Food Challenge: Fort Bragg. N.C.
• Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl: First Place – Fort Bragg, N.C.; Second Place – Team Hawaii; 3rd Place – Fort Riley, Kan.
• Best Ice Carving in Show: Staff Sgt. Jose Hernandez, Puerto Rico
• Army Senior Enlisted Aide of the Year: Sgt. 1st Class Amir Ahmad, independent
• Army Junior Enlisted Aide of the Year: Sgt. Michelle Carville, Fort Myer, Va.
Winners in special categories included:
• Best Exhibit in Show (Cold Platter): Chief Warrant Officer Travis Smith, Fort Riley, Kan.
• Best Exhibit in Show (Cold Appetizers): Sgt. 1st Class Clinton Francis: Team Hawaii
• Best Exhibit in Show (Patisserie/Confectionery): Sgt. Orlando Serna, Fort Bragg, N.C.
• Best Exhibit in Show (Showpiece): Sgt. Sean Dubois, Team Hawaii
• Most Artistic Exhibit in Show: Sgt. Orlando Serna, Fort Bragg, N.C.
• Best Team Buffet Table: Team Hawaii
• Best in Class – Contemporary Cooking, Chief Warrant Officer Travis Smith, Fort Riley, Kan.
• Best in Class - Contemporary Pastry: Sgt. Orlando Serna, Fort Bragg, N.C.
In all, the competition included 483 competitive entries from 184 competitors, and 266 medals were awarded at the ceremony Friday. Forty-nine gold medals, including team gold medals, were distributed.