The Perfect Storm has arrived and it all comes down to Chef CS3 Liz Mattox. FORT LEE, VA

Event time TODAY 1245 at Fort Lee VA

One. The winner of the 2018 Joint Military Culinary Training Exercise Team of the Year Title will be decided with one dish, one chef, and one event. With all other events complete CS3 Lix Mattox is competing in the Junior Chef of the Year and her score will be the decision maker.

After 43 years of wins by the Army, a new competitor arrived with flare guns a blazing. With funding from the Coast Guard Foundation, the US Coast Guard was able to put together a last minute culinary team. Each day during the last week, daily competitions have been held at Fort Lee between 18 teams of the best chefs in the military. The Coast Guard has consistently places in top three finishing with a Silver in Senior Chef of the Year, Silver in the Nutritional Throw Down, Gold in the Field Kitchen three course for 50, Gold in the signature dish category and silver in the Student Team Skills event. With this spectacular performance they have put themselves within reach for first with only one team in the way, Army Team Hawaii. Team Hawaii has been victorious for the past 3 years. This year is different, and now, with Hope, the Coast Guard may take the whole competition, make history and become the first non army military service to win the 2018 Joint Military Culinary Team of the Year.

About the The Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE) promotes growth in the culinary profession with special attention to the tenets of modern culinary development-ability, practicality, nutrition, workmanship, economy, presentation, creativity, and concept. The training event provides an opportunity to raise culinary excellence and professionalism. It recognizes individual and team efforts, while providing incentives and recognition in the form of certificates, medals, trophies and continuing education hours’ credit that may be used toward credentialing.

The JCTE at Fort Lee is the largest military culinary competition in the North America. Since 1973, the competition has been held each year with the exception of 1991 and 2003, during Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The competition is sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation and showcases the talents of military chefs from around the globe in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The JCTE focuses on the Student chef – our future. Live cooking events and static food displays continue to set the stage for daily public viewing at the Fort Lee Field House. The current format mirrors the structure of the World Culinary Olympics held every four years in Erfurt, Germany. This annual event has it all; ice sculptures, pastries, seafood, wild game and amazing centerpieces made of all edible items. From aiolis to zabaglione, it can all be seen during the annual JCTE.