FORT LEE, Va. — Spc. Katelyn Tran, a culinary specialist with 52nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, creates chocolate flowers for her celebration cake as part of the pastry chef of the year event March 12, 2019, during the Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE) at Fort Lee, Va. The 44th annual JCTE went from March 8-14, 2019, at MacLaughlin Fitness Center, and was administered by the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence. (Photo by Dani Johnson)
FORT LEE, Va. — Sgt. Jesus Leon, right, a food service specialist with 4th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, plates ahi tuna tacos while Cpl. Breanna Singh, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., adds the topping as part of the nutrition event March 10, 2019, during the Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE) at Fort Lee, Va. In the event, two-person teams prepare a four-course meal that doesn’t exceed 850 calories. The exercise showcased the talent of more than 200 military chefs from all military services around the globe to include three international teams. (Photo by Dani Johnson)
By Dani Johnson
Combined Arms Support Command Public Affairs Officer
FORT LEE, Va. — This year at the 44th annual Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE), Fort Carson Soldiers took home multiple awards over the weeklong event March 8-14, 2019, at MacLaughlin Fitness Center, Fort Lee, Virginia.
Sgt. Bruce Serafica, a food service specialist with 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, won the Best in Show individual award; and Spc. Katelyn Tran, a culinary specialist with 52nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., will move on to the next step in the competition in February at Stuttgart, Germany. Fort Carson’s five-person team won the Military Hot Food Kitchen award, where the team used the Army mobile kitchen trailer to prepare a buffet meal for 50 guests.
For the first time, the Marine Corps was recognized as the Culinary Team of the Year and 293 American Culinary Federation (ACF) medals were awarded to military chefs at the annual JCTE awards ceremony March 15, 2019.
JCTE began with the Armed Forces Chef of the Year event March 8, 2019, and continued until March 14, 2019, at MacLaughlin Fitness Center with the culmination of the International Two-Chef Culinary Challenge. The exercise, administered by the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, is the largest ACF-sanctioned competition in North America. This year’s exercise showcased the talent of 201 military chefs from all military services around the globe to include four international teams.
“Your participation in the exercise demonstrated your commitment and passion for culinary excellence,” said Brig. Gen. Douglas M. McBride Jr., quartermaster general. “What you do plays an integral part in our military readiness across the joint force.
“Napoleon is often quoted as saying ‘the Army marches on its stomach,’ and that is 100 percent true. In order for our service members to be effective on the battlefield, they must have healthy and plentiful (food) delivered on time, on target, in any operating environment.”
This year, more than 4,000 people were on hand to watch 22 teams with 399 cooking entries judged, competing from all five service branches and three countries.
“Most recognize the competing Soldiers and their coaches who are striving for recognition to showcase their talent and skills in an effort to become better cooks and chefs to improve the quality of the culinary food industry,” said Chef Roland Schaeffer, lead judge, ACF. “I know you are tired and you did a good job.
FORT LEE, Va. — American Culinary Federation judges taste a contemporary hot food entry March 12, 2019, during the Joint Culinary Training Exercise at Fort Lee, Va. The exercise, administered by the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, is the largest American Culinary Federation-sanctioned competition in North America. (Photo by Dani Johnson)
“I once asked (Lt. Gen. John D. McLaughlin) what was the criteria of becoming a good, general and he told me you first have to be a good Soldier. That same advice goes for our profession, you have to become a good cook before you become a good chef.”
Best in Show individual, Serafica, was recognized as one who stood out to the judges through his workmanship, attitude, passion, exemplary future leadership and culinary excellence.
Four countries: U.S., France, Great Britain and Canada participated in the international challenge with Team France coming out victorious.
Along with testing their skills in one of the many categories, 38 service members also tried for a spot on the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team (USACAT). The USACAT is the military’s national culinary team and offers members the opportunity to compete at international-level while sharpening and broadening their skills. Poe, Serafica, Tran, Staff Sgt. Andrew Shurden, Fort Stewart, Georgia; Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Jeffrey Plotz, U.S. Coast Guard; Culinary Specialist 1st Class Jeremy Anderson, U.S. Naval War College, Rhode Island; Staff Sgt. Justin Chase, Fort Meade, Maryland; and Sgt. Nickesha Carmichael, Pfc. Jordon Broadway, and Pfc. Tylor Brooks, Fort Drum; will represent the U.S. Armed Forces in the Culinary Olympics in February at Stuttgart, Germany.
FORT LEE, Va. — The student team from Fort Carson prepares its appetizer course in the student team event March 13, 2019, as part of the Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE) at Fort Lee, Va. In the event, the five-person team, with less than two-years’ experience, prepare a three-course meal. The 44th annual JCTE ran from March 8-14, 2019, at MacLaughlin Fitness Center. (Photo by Dani Johnson)
“All of these folks here will travel back to their unit, teach what they learned from each other and raise everyone else’s game,” said Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Jason M. Vanderhaden, who started his career as a culinary specialist and held a cooking demonstration during JCTE. “Everyone aspires to want to be the best at what they do; this helps to showcase that and help train people to raise their game.”
Competing chefs were judged based on ACF guidelines, they were not competing against each other but against industry standards. Those who exceeded industry standards were given medals: 42 gold medals, 112 silver medals and 139 bronze medals were presented to military chefs who met the judging criteria. Fort Carson took multiple titles. To see the full article, visit https://www.army.mil/article/218688/.
Competing service members are afforded the opportunity to earn ACF certifications, a recognized industry-standard credential. These credentials help the chefs provide better service to their customers in the dining facilities, as well as acceptance in the civilian sector when the service member transitions out of the military.
FORT LEE, Va. — Spc. Cristopher DeMartino, a culinary specialist with 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, gets flour during the Armed Forces Chef of the Year event March 8, 2019, at the Joint Center of Culinary Excellence at MacLaughlin Fitness Center as part of the Joint Culinary Training Exercise at Fort Lee, Va. (Photo by Dani Johnson)
FORT LEE, Va. — An American Culinary Federation judge gives a critique to Cpl. Breanna Singh, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and Spc. Katelyn Tran, a culinary specialist with 52nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd IBCT, for their cold table display March 9 as part of the Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE) at Fort Lee, Va. The 44th annual JCTE took place at MacLaughlin Fitness Center March 8-14. The exercise showcased the talent of more than 200 military chefs from all military services around the globe to include three international teams. (Photo by Dani Johnson)
FORT LEE, Va. — Spc. Katelyn Tran, a culinary specialist with 52nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, mixes frosting for her celebration cake as part of the pastry chef of the year event March 12, 2019, during the Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE) at Fort Lee, Va. The 44th annual JCTE went from March 9-14, 2019, at MacLaughlin Fitness Center. The exercise showcased the talent of more than 200 military chefs from all military services around the globe to include three international teams. (Photo by Dani Johnson)
FORT LEE, Va. — Sgt. Jesus Leon, a food service specialist with 4th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, puts puffed pastry molds onto a tray as part of the mobile kitchen trailer hot buffet event March 11, 2019, as part of the Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE) at Fort Lee, Va. In the event, five-person teams prepare a buffet meal for 45 diners. The 44th annual JCTE took place at MacLaughlin Fitness Center March 8-14, 2019. The exercise, administered by the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, is the largest American Culinary Federation-sanctioned competition in North America. The exercise showcased the talent of more than 200 military chefs from all military services around the globe to include three international teams. (Photo by Dani Johnson)