Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Taresha Hill | Cooks from 8th Military Police Brigade and 25th Infantry Division are briefed on the...... read more read more
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - After months of preparation and winning two previous culinary competitions earlier this year, cooks Sgt. Javier Henriquez, 536th Support Maintenance Company, 524th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, and Spc. Jacques Harrington, 57th MP Company, 728th MP Battalion, 8th MP Brigade, won the 2014 U.S. Army Hawaii Installation Junior Enlisted and Noncommissioned Officer Chef of the Year competition here Dec. 16.
The competition was a two-part event in which four competitors, two representing 25th Infantry Division and two representing 8th MP Brigade, tested their knowledge as Soldiers and cooks in a board and then tested their skills as chefs in a timed cook-off.
Judges for the cook-off graded each competitor in two areas: Kitchen and food service/taste. Competitors had to utilize their basic cooking techniques while keeping food and work area sanitized. In addition, their final product had to be artfully presented and satisfy the taste buds of the professionals judging the competition.
After being given eight basic ingredients, the clock began its hour countdown and each competitor set off in different directions to gather additional ingredients and cooking tools they would need to concoct a nutritious meal.
While most competitors experience the normal nervousness of competition, Harrington’s nerves were frayed for a different reason and he had to rely on his resiliency as a Soldier to pull through.
“My wife just had our baby yesterday,” he explained. “I wasn’t going to even show up, but she told me to come.”
Harrington said he had to keep telling himself to calm down and to concentrate on the task at hand: Winning the competition.
While Harrington battled his nerves, Henriquez said he merely concentrated on doing his best.
“I put my heart into this,” said Henriquez. “I wanted to represent my organization and come out on top.”
As the one-minute warning was yelled out, participants carefully and artfully arranged their meal on their plates.
While the judges tasted each dish, the competitors hung out in the background cleaning up their workstations.
Bringing her experience as a culinary teacher and a judge of the previous competitions, Master Sgt. Adriana Ybarra, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Culinary Training Program, 8th Special Troops Battalion, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, said she loved judging the competitions because it allowed her to see how much the competitors have grown from the previous competitions.
Nerves aside, the competition was fierce and the final tally of points close, but 8th MP Brigade cooks pulled through and showed off their culinary skills by winning the event.
Harrington said, “I’m very passionate about my job and it’s great to see all the hard work pay off.”
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.17.2014 20:40 |
| Story ID: | 150590 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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