MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- A potent aroma of delicately cooked cuisine flooded the inside of the southside mess hall Nov. 30, 2012, as the Chef of the Quarter competition culminated with a cooking contest between three top competitors.
“Our (Military Occupational Specialty) is kind of like a dying breed because not very many Marines are being able to come in as cooks, and retain as cooks,” said Staff Sgt. Julia Criqui, assistant mess hall manager. “So, being that these Marines are given the opportunity to perform their actual culinary expertise for the crowd is awesome. Cooking for the Marine Corps is cooking in bulk, so you have to follow a master menu and you have to follow all these different guidelines, but this is actually giving them an opportunity to display their own talents.”
The cooking contest is not the only challenge these Marines faced, the event tested every facet of their individual skill
and Marine-like qualities.
“There were various steps involved in this competition,” said Criqui. “First, there is the written board, so all the food service Marines, 3381s, were given the opportunity to do the test, and when the written test was completed, the three best out of the entire group, which was probably 22 Marines who took it, they went to the next level, a uniform inspection, and an oral board. After those portions were graded, then comes today.”
Even though only one Marine could win, the culinary tourney offered beneficial experience for all three.
“This helps the individual Marines by becoming better leaders, because they are showing the others they do know how to cook, not just in the bulk way, and it helps the Marine as well by giving them more experience and different avenues to try different cooking techniques,” said Criqui.
Once the plates reached culinary perfection, they were set on display in front of a panel of judges, consisting of Lt. Col. F. Lance Lewis, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron commanding officer, Maj. Elizabeth Pham, H&HS executive officer, Lt. Takana Skelton, H&HS chaplain, and Sgt. Maj. Peter W. Ferral, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron sergeant major.
Once the judging concluded, the final tallied score held Cpl. Nicole Brantley, food service Marine, as the victor.
“This means a lot to me, I feel very proud, and I’m really glad I put that extra butter on the grill, so I could fry the fat on my steaks,” said Brantley.