Photo By Sgt. 1st Class David Edge | One of the chefs at the L'Auberge du Lac Resort and Casino in Lake Charles, La.,...... read more read more
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FORT POLK, La. -- A pristinely manicured golf course, surrounding a luxury resort with eight themed restaurants serves as a training site too. In this training facility someone can get a boldly flavored rib eye steak cooked to your order, thinly sliced octopus drizzled with lemongrass oil topped with delicately placed caviar, then ending your meal with a rich decadent dessert.
The L'Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, has partnered with Team Polk- the Fort Polk Culinary Team, to train Army Food Service Specialists with advanced hands-on culinary knowledge and skills. The resort has pledged their support in preparation of the 40th annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event, held at Fort Lee, Virginia.
In the kitchens of some of Lake Charles' best restaurants, 10 Soldiers are learning what it takes to be real world chefs. The Soldiers are taught classic knife cutting skills and world class platting design.
"At L 'Auberge we want to help train the Soldiers, not only for this competition, but we want to impart skills that they can use if they choose to make cooking a career outside of the military," said Lyle Broussard, chef, L' Auberge Casino's Jack Daniels Bar and Grill. "We are training the Soldiers by fusing classic culinary styles with a modern approach to cooking."
The 10 man team, nine belonging to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, are well aware of the tremendous opportunity that the L' Auberge Casino Resort is affording them, as opposed to the basic food preparations they learn at the advanced individual training at Fort Lee, Virginia. Army Food Service Specialists are trained to prepare and cook food according to strict standards and dietetic recipes.
"The skills, of the chefs that we are working with, and the learning process, is pushing us far beyond cooking off of a recipe card," said U.S. Army Pfc. Joseph Grims, Team Polk member, 4th BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. "I never thought I would be training for the Army in a place like L' Auberge. The training that we are receiving is invaluable."
This year, due to team size, Team Polk will not be competing for the Culinary Installation of the Year award. Teams must have 13 members or more to compete for that award. Though young and mostly inexperienced, Team Polk has high aspirations for this year's Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event.
"My goal for Team Polk is that everyone on our team come back from this competition with a medal from the American Culinary Federation, said Sgt. Joshua Hoyt, captain, Team Polk. "Doing that means everyone has to place in the individual events, with this training, I believe we can do it."
| Date Taken: | 01.07.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2015 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 152565 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 125 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Team Polk receives exceptional training with delicious expectations, by SFC David Edge, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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