TALENTED CHEFS AND CATERERS from 3 (MC) Squadron at RAF Wittering have triumphed at Exercise Joint Caterer 2014 bringing home gold and silver awards from the contest. Exercise Joint Caterer is held annually at the Defence College in Shrivenham, where Chefs and Stewards from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force compete to hone their professional catering skills and build team spirit. In addition to entering two teams for the competition element, 3MC Sqn also provided catering for the entire exercise, feeding the many servicemen, civil servants and numerous guests for the three-day competition. Sergeant Maxine Booth (40) was the detachment commander for the exercise and, in addition to ensuring that 3MC Sqn’s catering for the exercise was up to scratch, was one of two mentors to the Squadron’s teams in the competitive heats. 3MC Sqn won gold in the Open Field Kitchen category; the brief was to provide a nourishing and tasty meal for ten servicemen who had just returned from a patrol in severe operational conditions. The judges said that the menu of crispy chicken pancakes with a curried bean sauce, and meatloaf with a caramelized onion and tomato chutney, nailed the brief so completely that they were unable to choose between the two dishes. Sgt Booth said; “SAC Tony Preston and SAC Adam Deacon have produced some memorable dishes, which drew some inspiring comments from the judges. Along with SAC Scott Guntrip, the team did a great job and can feel justifiably pleased.” In the ‘Cook & Serve’ category, which is a skills test set in a formal dining environment, 3MC Sqn took a respectable silver award with an enticing three course menu of mackerel, and smoked loin of pork followed by lemon tart. Sgt Pamela Kane (40) is a mess manager and mentored SAC Isla McPherson, who prepared the immaculately laid table and served the freshly prepared dishes to the diners. Sgt Kane said; “The team bonded really well, and the lemon tart produced by SAC Scott Jamieson-Moodie and SAC Brett Foster won best overall dish. Isla’s level of customer service was beyond reproach, I’m really proud of them.” Group Captain Damian Alexander, Station Commander at RAF Wittering, said; “3 Mobile Catering Squadron never ceases to amaze me with their skill and inventiveness. Time and again they prove what a valuable asset they are to Defence.” He continued; “It’s easy to be flippant about food preparation, but there are exacting nutritional standards which have to be met if we are to have properly fed Service personnel on operations. The Squadron is astonishing as they meet these standards and produce great food, doing so in very little time and in tough field working conditions.”
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 19:56:03 +0000