Veteran's Day tribute: Navy

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Oct. 7, 2015) -- Culinary Specialist 1st Class Steven Kane prepares pastries for dinner aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75). Donald Cook is conducting a routine patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interest in Europe. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Mat Murch.

Dessert time

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 27, 2015) -- Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Robert Metcalfe, from Baltimore, plates cake aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58). Laboon is underway conducting a composite training unit exercise with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group in preparation for an upcoming scheduled deployment.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael J. Lieberknecht.

A sea-going Thanksgiving

SOUDA BAY, Greece (Nov. 27, 2014) -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class John Herman.

Culinary Specialist 1st Class John Mobley, from Philadelphia, Pa., bastes a turkey for a Thanksgiving meal aboard the Cole.

CS2 David Tiberio, from Red Hook, N.Y., carves turkey food for a Thanksgiving meal.

CS1 John Mobley, prepares a turkey for carving for a Thanksgiving meal. 

Veteran's Day tribute: Navy

ARABIAN GULF (Oct. 24, 2014) -- Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Alkyshia McDonald, from Palm Beach, Fla., prepares food aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).

ARABIAN GULF (Oct. 24, 2014) Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Patrick Hunn, from Slaton, Texas, left, and Culinary Specialist Seaman Robert Wren, from Kernersville, N.C., prepare food aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W.  Bush (CVN 77).

USS George H.W. Bush is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian Stephens.

Culinary arrest

This brings to mind an incident during Seabee Operation Bearing Duel in the summer of 1994 at Fort Hunter-Leggett. One afternoon in the scorching heat of the Coast Range, Chief Bob Voigt and I observed an intruder running past the Seventeenth Seabees' galley tent. Bob and I quickly tackled him.

As we marched the intruder to the nearby prisoner of war enclosure, someone yelled, "Blindfold him!" Bob quickly pulled his sweaty t-shirt off his torso and fashioned a blindfold around the runner's eyes. The role-playing Marine wrenched.

We didn't want his to observe the battalion command post and other key facilities in the camp. Once he was turned over to the proper authorities, Bob recovered his t-shirt, apologized and retreated to the safety of the battalion mess. The Opposition Force Marines left the cooks alone for the remainder of the exercise!

Culinary Specialist 3rd Class James C. Tyler, right,from Huntington Beach, Calif., simulates arresting Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Justin O. Gallego, from San Antonio, during a visit, board, search, and seizure exercise on the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105). Dewey is deployed as part of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group supporting maritime security operations, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class James Vazquez.

Lobster, a sea-going favorite

Lobster was a favorite of the crew when I sailed on the USS Stein (DE-1065) in the mid-1970s. We baked it with butter and lemon, grilled over hot coals it on the flight deck and diced leftovers for salad. Our chef (a chief petty officer) was reprimanded for making an unauthorized purchase of lobster in Australia. And yours truly felt the wrath of the chief for noshing on leftovers after a surf and turf barbecue. I suspect lobster remains a seagoing favorite in the US Navy.

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 31, 2014) -- Culinary Specialist 1st Class Marco A. Coll-Dimayo, left, from Rockford, Ill., and Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Dontae R. Flint, from Suffolk, Va., prepare dinner for the crew aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105). Dewey is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility as part of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class James Vazquez.

Doin' the math

This Facebook photo of Senior Chief
Hunt teaching culinary math to
U.S. Navy culinary specialists
prompted me to write this article.
Senior Chief Hunt is assigned
to Navy Food Management
Team Norfolk, Virginia as an
instructor. She conducted a
coarse in culinary math for
Norfolk area culinary specialists
last month.

The ability to perform basic mathematical calculations is an essential skill for the cook. Converting ounces into pounds, quarts into gallons and teaspoons into tablespoons is frequently done on the fly, without benefit of calculator or chart. The cook must be able to work quickly, and accurately, each time a math problem presents itself.

The number of cooks who have trouble navigating the world of weights and measures amaze me. Experience cooks often ask, “How many quarts in a gallon?” What I regard as elementary easily stumps seasoned cooks. While I don’t expect him to recite the number of teaspoons in a gallon (there are 768 teaspoons), he must understand the relationship between pounds and ounces and the various units of dry and liquid measure.

There are:

• 16 ounces in a pound
• 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon
• 16 tablespoons in a cup
• 2 cups in a pint
• 4 cups or 2 pints in a quart
• 4 quarts or eight pints in a gallon

Once the cook understands the relationship from one unit of measure to another, whether smaller or larger, it simplifies his job. The skilled cook can move between smaller and larger units, and larger to smaller, with ease. The relationship between weights and measures in the American system can only be with difficulty.

Baking steamed rice in the oven will serve as an illustration of culinary math skills. At Oakland Feather River Camp, long grain white (or brown) rice is measured into the standard 12 by 20 by 4-inch hotel pan. The cook measures four pints of rice into each greased pan. (The pint measure is used because it’s handy.) The cook doubles the volume of rice to figure out the amount of boiling water to pour into the pan. At this point, the cook shifts to a half-gallon measure, mainly for efficiency.

To determine the number of half-gallon measures of water, the cook must understand that there are four pints or eight cups in the measure before proceeding. There are two cups in a pint. Since the cook previously measured four pints of rice into the pan, he multiplies four times two (in his head). The product is eight cups. He then doubles that number for 16 cups of boiling water. (I instruct the cooks to use a half-gallon measure because it safer to handle when handling boiling water.)

Sixteen cups divided by two is eight. Thus the cook adds two half-gallon pitchers of water to the rice in each pan. The rice is seasoned with salt and butter, then covered with plastic wrap and a hotel pan lid. It’s baked in a 325-degree convection oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender.

Admittedly, this explanation of preparing steamed rice is long. It takes more time to explain the process than to bake the rice! But it serves as an example of how culinary math finds its way into the kitchen. This is basic math to be sure, but it’s an essential skill. Too little water and the rice is dry and crunchy. Too much and you end up with a soggy mess.

There are a number of applications for math in the kitchen. I've addressed baker’s math previously on ‘Round the Chuckbox. The science of adjusting recipes is a crucial skill for the cook as well. I’ll have more to say in a later article.

In the meantime, let’s mind our pints and quarts!

Raising the ensign, year two

For the second year, I was selected to lead Independence Day ceremonies around the camp flagstaff. The honor has fallen to the chef for the last several years. The ceremony has special meaning to me as a retired U.S. Navy senior chief petty officer. The raising of the ensign at 8 o'clock in the morning was always a memorable time of day.

During the ceremony, I discussed protocol surrounding raising the ensign (the U.S. Navy term for the Stars and Stripes), read the Resolution of the Continental Congress of June 14, 1777 and led campers in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Raising the ensign

During the 2013 camp session, I was selected to lead the Independence Day ceremonies around the camp flagstaff. I am told that the honor has fallen to the chef for the last several years. As a retired U.S. Navy senior chief petty officer, the ceremony had special meaning to me. The raising of the ensign at 8 o'clock in the morning was always a memorable time of day.

At Oakland Feather River Camp, the emcee gives a brief talk on the historical significance of the 4th of July, raises the flag and leads campers in the Pledge of Allegiance. Afterwards we sing America The Beautiful, then adjourn for a fun afternoon of games and field activities. (Of course, culinary staff return to the kitchen to finish the barbecue!)

Sea-going coffee break

I'm envious. The crew of the USS Cocopa (ATF-101) -- a sister ship to the USS Hitchiti (ATF-103) -- never enjoyed "twice-daily coffee breaks." The busy routine of the sea-going tug precluded such niceties of civilian life. At best, the crew gulped down their coffee before running off to stand watch or to put in a full day of work.

September 23, 1958

COFFEE IS A GREAT STIMULANT--Just ask any crewmember of the Fleet Tug USS Hitchiti. The ship's galley bakes fresh coffee rolls and pastry to be served during the twice-daily coffee breaks.

US Navy photo.

Congratulations chief petty officers

September is a special month in the career of the U.S. Navy chief petty officer. It's the month when newly advanced chiefs receive their anchors and khaki uniform, including the khaki combination cover. As the most recent class of senior enlisted naval leadership, these chief petty officers will join their brothers and sisters in the chief's mess.

Congratulations chiefs ...


PEARL HARBOR (Sept. 13, 2013) -- Newly pinned chief petty officers Chief Electronics Technicians Patrick Tucker left, and Lawrence Lombard and Chief Culinary Specialist Robert Haag, from the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Texas (SSN 775) receive their combination covers at a chief petty officer pinning ceremony at the USS Parche Submarine Park and Memorial at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The Pacific Submarine Force promoted more than 40 Sailors to the rate of chief petty officer.

U.S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Steven Khor.

Seagoing Iron Chef competition

ARABIAN GULF (Aug. 22, 2013) -- Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Mark Amado, right, and Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Haidavid Tran present their cheese cake to the judges during an Iron Chef competition aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61). Judges are Navy Counselor 1st Class Roberto Vite (not in picture); Capt. Thomas Kiss, commanding officer; Chef Miles Mitchell, executive chef at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Miami; and Lt. Andrew Lundgren, supply officer.

Monterey is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Billy Ho/Released)

Baker's scales

Scales are an essential tool in the bakery. The baker uses the balance or beam scale, pictured at right, to measure ingredients by weight, not volume. The Navy baker gets consistent results every time by measuring by weight.

All Navy training manuals have said the same thing since the 1950s and before:

"The set of scales is one of the most important pieces of equipment you have. For best results weight everything use. If the recipe calls for 165 pounds of meat, weight out 165 pounds. Don't guess"  (Commissaryman 3 and 2 rate training manual, 1952).

GULF OF ADEN (April 16, 2013) -- Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo Valentin and Culinary Specialist Seaman Nicholas Stratton prepare desserts for the crew aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Corbin J. Shea.



120 years of service to the fleet

The U.S. Navy rate of chief petty officer was established on April 1, 1893.


U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (April 1, 2013) -- Command Master Chief Raymond Charest and Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Ryan Albrecht, both assigned to the guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66), decorate a cake for a cake cutting ceremony in honor of the 120th anniversary of the chief petty officer rank. Hue City is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility promoting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Luis Fiallos.



Grill work

YOKOSUKA, Japan (March 27, 2013) -- Culinary Specialist 1st Class Tiffara Jones, from Los Angeles, cooks shish kebabs aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). George Washington and embarked Carrier Air Wing 5 provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo R. Guzman.



Leading by example

Looking back at my naval career, I've come appreciate two leading commissarymen the most. As the lead chef for the ship's galley, Commissaryman 1st Class George Rooney of the USS Cocopa (ATF 101) and Chief Commissaryman Oscar Ray of the USS Stein (DE 1065) were two men who led from the galley, not the office.

Yes it was annoying to have the boss looking over your shoulder. As a young cook, I felt that I knew it all and didn't need direct supervision. Yet these leaders showed us how they wanted the meal prepared. They worked alongside the cooks many days during our long weeks at sea. And through their example, CS1 Rooney and Chief Ray taught us how to lead cooks.

Looking back, I can now see where I developed my leadership style. I learned invaluable lessons that helped me when I stepped into leadership, first as a watch captain on board the Stein and later as the lead chef for Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 17.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (March 4, 2013) -- Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Ryan Albrecht rolls pizza dough in preparation for the crew's dinner aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66). Hue City is on a deployment to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Matthew R. Cole.



Navy chef with live ammo

I always enjoyed live fire exercises on the ship's fantail. It was one of the perks of the job. We fired the M14 rifle, M60 machine gun and M1911A1 service pistol on the USS Stein (DE 1065) in the mid-1970s. The USS Cocopa (ATF 101) had a couple Thompson submachine guns in its armory in 1972.

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Feb. 27, 2013) -- Culinary Specialist 1st Class Chad Lahousse fires a 9 mm pistol during a live-fire exercise on the flight deck aboard the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), U.S. 7th Fleet flagship.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jared Harra.

The watch captain the leader of a shift of cooks in the galley. The position is equivelent to the sous chef in hotel and casino kitchens.


SAN DIEGO (Feb. 1, 2013) -- Lt. Rayfield Golden, site director for the Center for Service Support Learning Site San Diego, addresses culinary specialists attending the Galley Watch Captains School prior to a ribbon cutting ceremony. The ribbon cutting ceremony signifies the reopening of the school after several renovations.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephen D. Doyle II.



Looking back at my active duty service as a commissaryman and mess management specialist, working the Cabin Mess (captain's private galley and dining room) or Flag Mess (admiral's) would've provided the perfect opportunity to expand my culinary skills. Unlike the enlisted galley, you cook for the officer and his invited guests. And you're able to provide a more personal level of service, cooking restaurant-quality meals.

U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Jan. 9, 2013) -- Culinary Specialist 2nd Class August Cook, from Spring, Texas, butters fresh rolls in the flag galley of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lex T. Wenberg.



Steamship round

The General Mess served steamship round of beef at NAS Kingsville, Texas, weekly during my tour from 1976 to 1978. In 1976, the roast was served on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day alongside roast tom turkey and baked Virginia ham. The roast was one of the signature dishes of the galley at the air station.

The cooks on the night watch placed the rounds in the large rotating oven early in the morning. According to U.S. Armed Forces Recipe Card No. L-4-1, a 60 to 75-pound steamship round took eight or more hours to roast at 300 degrees. When I worked the night watch, we set the oven temperature between 225 to 250 degrees. While the cooler oven temperature added two or three hours to roasting time, the crew was rewarded with a succulent slice of roast beef at meal time.

U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Jan. 1, 2013) -- Culinary Specialist Seaman Teresa Arnold, from Hamilton, Texas, serves steamship round in the aft galley aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.

U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Daniel P. Schumache.