Team Korea tops culinary contest
By Sgt. Ken Hall
FORT LEE, Va. (Army News Service, March 20, 2006.) Nearly 140 of the Army’s best Soldier-chefs waged a variety of culinary
battles to see who could make the best dishes and displays at the 31st Annual U.S. Army's Culinary Arts Competition, Fort Lee, Va.,
March 6-17.
Team Korea repeated top honors in claiming Installation of the Year title, followed closely by Fort Bragg, N.C., for second and Team
U.S. Army Europe finishing third.
This year, the competition hosted entrants from 14 installations worldwide.
Major competition category winners were:
• Senior Army Chef of the Year: Spc. Jeffrey Lagyak, Fort Bliss, Texas;
• Junior Army Chef of the Year: Cpl. Randy Agno, Team Hawaii;
• Field Cooking Competition: Fort Riley, Kansas; and
• Student Team Skills: Team Korea.
Special competition category winners were:
• Best Exhibit Cold Food Buffet: Sgt. Jason Pratt, Team Korea;
• Best Exhibit Hot Food Shown Cold: Staff Sgt. Bernard Book, Team Korea;
• Best Exhibit in Pastry and Confection: Spc. Alicia Hight, Team USAREUR;
• Most Artistic Centerpiece: Spec. Carmen Rosario, Fort Bragg;
• Best Team Table Exhibit: Team USAREUR;
• Contemporary Cooking: Sgt. Joshua Speiss, Fort McNair;
• Contemporary Pastry: Spc. Joanna Carrol, Team USAREUR;
• Best Two Member Team: Nutritional Hot Food Challenge, Team Hawaii;
• Baron H. Garland Culinary Knowledge Bowl: Team Korea; and
• Best Centerpiece in Ice, Sgt. 1st Class David Russ, Fort Bragg.
Trained by the best
Each year, competition participants are given up-close critiques and cooking demonstrations from certified master chefs.
“From day-one of the competition, we have demonstrations by master chef’s from around the world,” said Stephen Posser, director
of training, Army Center of Excellence, Subsistence. “It’s a constant learning exercise for the competitors, and they gain excellent
constructive criticism from some of the finest master chefs in the world. Any time anyone puts this much care into a dish, it’s going to
make the meals on the battlefield line taste all that much better.”
This year, culinary masters from Great Britain conducted cooking seminars throughout the competition for their American
counterparts.
“British chefs held seminars and they showed us different ways to prepare food and that gives us a lot of experience, “ said Pfc.
Porfirio Romero, 4th Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. “We took the best things we learned from them and adapted
the techniques to our own style. This is my first time at the competition but next year, I’ll be coming back with more skills.”
“The demonstrations from the British chef’s have been excellent,” said Pvt. Anthony De Leon, 6/10 Base Support Battalion, Fort
Riley, Kan. “They have ways of creating exquisite-tasting dishes that are different from our own styles of preparation, so I’ve taken
note of how they make everything and I’ll have that training in my arsenal for next year’s competition.”
Raising the stakes
The ultimate purpose of the competition is to elevate the standards of food service in military dining facilities and on the battlefield.
Each Soldier-chef is selected for the competition based on performance.
Winners of the competition are often selected to be on the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team.
The American Culinary Federation sanctions the competition. Medals received from federation entries can be used towards master
chef certification. The competition is open to active duty members of all Services, DoD civilians, and U.S. Army Reserve and Army
National Guard troops.
The USACAT tradition began in 1976 when the first Army team, consisting of three Soldiers competed in the international Culinary
Olympics and won one gold and two silver medals. The USACAT represents the highest skill level for the Soldier who works in the
Food Service Specialist military occupational specialty.
By Sgt. Ken Hall
FORT LEE, Va. (Army News Service, March 20, 2006.) Nearly 140 of the Army’s best Soldier-chefs waged a variety of culinary
battles to see who could make the best dishes and displays at the 31st Annual U.S. Army's Culinary Arts Competition, Fort Lee, Va.,
March 6-17.
Team Korea repeated top honors in claiming Installation of the Year title, followed closely by Fort Bragg, N.C., for second and Team
U.S. Army Europe finishing third.
This year, the competition hosted entrants from 14 installations worldwide.
Major competition category winners were:
• Senior Army Chef of the Year: Spc. Jeffrey Lagyak, Fort Bliss, Texas;
• Junior Army Chef of the Year: Cpl. Randy Agno, Team Hawaii;
• Field Cooking Competition: Fort Riley, Kansas; and
• Student Team Skills: Team Korea.
Special competition category winners were:
• Best Exhibit Cold Food Buffet: Sgt. Jason Pratt, Team Korea;
• Best Exhibit Hot Food Shown Cold: Staff Sgt. Bernard Book, Team Korea;
• Best Exhibit in Pastry and Confection: Spc. Alicia Hight, Team USAREUR;
• Most Artistic Centerpiece: Spec. Carmen Rosario, Fort Bragg;
• Best Team Table Exhibit: Team USAREUR;
• Contemporary Cooking: Sgt. Joshua Speiss, Fort McNair;
• Contemporary Pastry: Spc. Joanna Carrol, Team USAREUR;
• Best Two Member Team: Nutritional Hot Food Challenge, Team Hawaii;
• Baron H. Garland Culinary Knowledge Bowl: Team Korea; and
• Best Centerpiece in Ice, Sgt. 1st Class David Russ, Fort Bragg.
Trained by the best
Each year, competition participants are given up-close critiques and cooking demonstrations from certified master chefs.
“From day-one of the competition, we have demonstrations by master chef’s from around the world,” said Stephen Posser, director
of training, Army Center of Excellence, Subsistence. “It’s a constant learning exercise for the competitors, and they gain excellent
constructive criticism from some of the finest master chefs in the world. Any time anyone puts this much care into a dish, it’s going to
make the meals on the battlefield line taste all that much better.”
This year, culinary masters from Great Britain conducted cooking seminars throughout the competition for their American
counterparts.
“British chefs held seminars and they showed us different ways to prepare food and that gives us a lot of experience, “ said Pfc.
Porfirio Romero, 4th Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. “We took the best things we learned from them and adapted
the techniques to our own style. This is my first time at the competition but next year, I’ll be coming back with more skills.”
“The demonstrations from the British chef’s have been excellent,” said Pvt. Anthony De Leon, 6/10 Base Support Battalion, Fort
Riley, Kan. “They have ways of creating exquisite-tasting dishes that are different from our own styles of preparation, so I’ve taken
note of how they make everything and I’ll have that training in my arsenal for next year’s competition.”
Raising the stakes
The ultimate purpose of the competition is to elevate the standards of food service in military dining facilities and on the battlefield.
Each Soldier-chef is selected for the competition based on performance.
Winners of the competition are often selected to be on the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team.
The American Culinary Federation sanctions the competition. Medals received from federation entries can be used towards master
chef certification. The competition is open to active duty members of all Services, DoD civilians, and U.S. Army Reserve and Army
National Guard troops.
The USACAT tradition began in 1976 when the first Army team, consisting of three Soldiers competed in the international Culinary
Olympics and won one gold and two silver medals. The USACAT represents the highest skill level for the Soldier who works in the
Food Service Specialist military occupational specialty.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Sparks of Team Europe makes detailed adjustments to an ice sculpture with a hand
carving tool during the Ice Carving Competition at Fort Lee, March 15.
carving tool during the Ice Carving Competition at Fort Lee, March 15.
| Spc. Anthony Mussari, left, and Spc. Ralph Pabon, 49th Quartermaster Group, Fort Lee, Va. lay out their entry during the Nutritional Hot Foods Challenge at the 31st Annual U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition, March 15. Sgt. Ken Hall |
| Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Sparks of Team Europe makes detailed adjustments to an ice sculpture with a hand carving tool during the Ice Carving Competition at Fort Lee, March 15. |
| "A Miners Delight" was the theme of this table display at the 2006 Army Culinary Arts competion, Fort Lee, Va., March 15. The entire display was crafted in sugar. Images on the Army Web site are cleared for release and are considered in the public domain. Request credit be given as "Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army" and credit to individual photographer whenever possible. |
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