News

Culinary contest takes cooks out of the kitchen

  • Published
  • By Josh Plueger
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs

A cloud of dissipating smoke, emanating from behind the Ronald L. King Dining Facility, carried the unmistakable scent of grilled meat.  Clusters of Airmen worked around hot grills with an urgency denoting a finite amount of time.

 

On Oct. 13, three teams of 55th Force Support Squadron Airmen competed in the second Iron Chef Competition, moving its culinary professionals from the confines of the dining facility kitchen to the front of a six-foot grill.

 

The decision to take the competition outside was in order to broaden their spectrum,” said Tech. Sgt. Gabriel Phillips, 55th FSS dining facilities production manager. “Our Airmen work inside and with kitchen equipment every day, and by changing it up we had our Airmen excited for this particular competition.

 

During the inaugural 55th FSS competition, the Campisi Alert DFAC took on the King DFAC, with the latter taking home the hardware.  Iron Chef II: Grill Masters added more secret ingredients, food preparation time and an additional team.

 

Following the first Iron Chef competition, other Airmen were eager to demonstrate their skills beyond the menu card.  Because of this, the fitness center was added to the team roster.

 

The three teams that competed in the Grill Masters variant of the Iron Chef were:  King DFAC team One Piece, from the Alert DFAC team Alert Crew, from the Fitness Center team GAINSville.

 

Teams of three Airmen, chopped, sliced, caramelized and seared their three competition dishes – an appetizer, entrée and dessert utilizing one of the three secret ingredients: bacon, kiwi or mushrooms.

 

The teams were allowed more preparation to create personal mop sauces and rubs and to allow sufficient time to marinate the meat, which was restricted to steak, chicken and shrimp.  In addition to the three meats, contestants only utilized the following vegetables: cob corn, peppers, onions and potatoes and fruits: apples, pineapples and bananas.

 

An amplified voice interrupted the music, blaring from the speaker in the back of the dining facility. “Five more minutes,” warned an NCO of the kitchen staff.

 

From the grill, Airmen began plating their menu. 

 

Foil packets housed sliced potatoes with melted dabs of butter, pans bubbled with candied bacon, homemade sauces and herbed fruits softened by the grill’s heat, and meats were removed from the sizzling surface and artistically displayed on a ceramic canvas.

 

One by one, plate by plate the teams rolled their dishes in front of the judges who awaited the three-course sampling.  Team leaders introduced themselves and their culinary concoctions to the table of wing foodies.

 

Guest judges included the 55th Wing Vice Commander Col. David Berg, Command Chief Master Sgt. Michael Morris as well as Col. Thomas Hensley and command Chief Master Sgt. Benjamin Higginbotham who were on temporary duty assignment from the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing, Fort George Meade, Maryland.

 

The grilled offerings were judged on originality and creativity, presentation and plating as well as taste.  The guest judges tabulated each of the three dishes on a scale of one to ten, ten being the most desirable. 

 

“The food was unbelievable,” said Morris.  “I wish I could eat like this every day.”

 

Morris’s remarks were followed quickly by Airman 1st Class Daniela Wolff a member of the Iron Chef team ‘Alert Crew ‘and food service specialist with the Campisi DFAC who said, “I wish we could cook like this all the time.”

 

The judge’s appreciation of the caliber of food was reflected in the smiling faces of the services Airmen who had showcased their skills. 

 

After the numbers were tallied, the traveling trophy was proudly displayed at the Campisi Alert DFAC as team Alert Crew took the top spot at the grill master competition.

 

“The first time our facility lost, so it feels really good to win this one,” said team captain Senior Airman Ashanta Williams, a food service specialist with the Campisi DFAC. 

 

The next Iron Chef will yet again change the structure of the contest, having teams comprised of SNCOs officers, NCOs officers and officers. New secret ingredients and limitations will shape the dishes and crown a new iron chef.