MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The spicy, full-flavored scents of Southern-style cooking, Louisiana Creole catering and traditional Mexican cuisine dominated the air during the 2nd
Quarter Fiscal Year 2010 Chef of the Quarter competition at the Southside Mess Hall here Feb. 4.
Cpl. Dajuan Batiste, Lance Cpl. Rodney Ballom, both Southside Mess Hall food service specialists, and Lance Cpl. Jesus Hernandez, a Northside Mess Hall food service specialist, participated in the competition that put their cooking skills to the test.
“The Chef of the Quarter board is all about pride. It’s all about showing off your personal skills,” said Master Sgt. John B. Bass II, station food technician. “I honestly can say this is one of the best boards — very tightly contested boards — that I’ve ever been a part of, even when I was contesting in the boards myself.”
On Feb. 3, the first day of the two-day competition, the three Marines attended an oral board where they were tested on Marine Corps and food-service knowledge.
Once they were released at 4:30 p.m., the Marines were allowed to prepare their ingredients and instructed to return to the Southside Mess Hall the next day at 5:30 a.m. to cook their meals. The three Marines were a whirl of colors, maneuvering through the kitchen and cooking against the clock to meet their 11 a.m. deadline.
“It’s very hectic when you’re having to go from station to station in the galley and make a whole meal, even if it is only for twenty-five people,” said Bass. “They all persevered very well. It‘s been a long time since I‘ve been this proud of every competitor.”
While Ballom seasoned his Louisiana Creole meal and Batiste spiced his Southern-style chicken to taste, Hernandez struggled to find the substitute ingredients he needed for the Mexican recipe he learned from his mother when he was 10 years old.
“If we would have been in like Camp Pendleton, I could have just crossed to Tijuana and buy everything, but here, yes it was hard,” said Hernandez. “I could have done better than this, but I didn’t have the right peppers and stuff like that. I just did the best that I could with the ingredients we have here in Japan.”
As the three competing Marines added the finishing touches to their meals, the five-minute warning was yelled out.
Each Marine nervously stood behind their setups as the five volunteering judges graded them on taste and presentation. After the judges’ decisions were given and points were tallied, Hernandez was declared the winner and Chef of the Quarter.
Hernandez said he tried hard and was very surprised he won.
The competition was close with Hernandez wining the competition with a score of 4.31; setting a record high for Iwakuni chef of the quarter winners. Though he won the competition, the judges had a hard time choosing a winner.
“It was all so good,” said Sgt. Becky Kubica, a volunteering Chef of the Quarter judge. “I was pleased with every single piece, every single entrée. It was very close.”
Kubica said Hernandez’s meal stood out the most in her mind because he was able pull off the Mexican taste with Japanese ingredients. Hernandez’s food was a treat and like a party in her mouth, she added.
Hernandez’s next step after winning Chef of the Quarter here is to compete in Camp Kinser, Okinawa, at the Marine Corps Bases Japan Chef of the Quarter board on March 24.