Culinary competition gives COSCOM Soldiers early Thanksgiving feast

Photo By Staff Sgt. Jerome Bishop | Soldiers of the 1st Corps Support Command, produce a potentially awarding Thanksgiving meal, served at the 1st COSCOM Blackjack Café dining facility Nov. 23.  

11.23.2005

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By Spc. Jerome Bishop, 1st COSCOM PAO

Thanksgiving is known to complicate travel, lower sales prices, and for the Soldiers of the 1st Corps Support Command, produce a potentially awarding Thanksgiving meal served at the 1st COSCOM Blackjack Café dining facility Nov. 23.

For the past four weeks, the cooks and chefs at the Blackjack Café have been working hard to prepare and serve a Thanksgiving feast capable of giving Soldiers the feeling of being home " and winning a few awards while they're at it.

"By nature, Thanksgiving is the most celebrated meal in the Army, but what makes it different is the amount of culinary skills we put into it," said Sgt. 1st Class Steven Chow, dining facility manager of the Blackjack Café. "Everything you do for Thanksgiving is going to be evaluated for the 'Thanksgiving Competition' between all the dining facilities on Fort Bragg."

In previous years, the Blackjack Café took the top prize in 2003, and the runner-up in 2004. The cooks expect another hard earned victory, and their customers agree.

"I don't know about the other dining facilities, but this one is really good," said Spc. Byron Jay, an avionics, navigational and electronics systems repair specialist from Company I, 4th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, 507th Corps Support Group. "I think they have a good chance of winning. They got my vote."

Spc. Jennifer Hille, a mechanic from the 259th Field Services Company, 364th Corps Support Battalion, 46th CSG, didn't even have to finish her meal, or start it, to express how she felt about the Blackjack Café's chances at the top trophy.

"I haven't gotten to eat yet but it looks pleasing," Hille said. "If they keep cooking like this, they shouldn't have a problem [at winning]."

Others, like Capt. Jack Chaffie, company commander of the 364th Supply Company, 264th CSB, 46th CSG and his wife Amy, think its more than just the food which will bring the prize to the 1st COSCOM.

"I'd say the presentation and the assortment was the best, and having stuff for the kids," Amy said, with her husband in full agreement.

"That's what stuck out in my mind," Chaffie said as their daughter Leslie, 8, and their son Jack Jr., 5, played in the inflatable jumping pit with a clown.

Children of Soldiers were also treated with cotton candy and face painting provided by the staff of the Blackjack Café as well as being entertained by a mascot-like Thanksgiving turkey.

"The kids loved all the characters inside," Jack Jr. said, as the Soldier in a turkey costume came running outside bring smiles to the children.

This may seem like a lot for just one meal, but to win the Thanksgiving Competition, it's all closely reviewed.

"We had different categories, we had food preparation, sanitation, culinary originality and the decorations," said Sgt. Maj. Rodney Price, sergeant major of the Directorate of Logistics and one of three of the competitions evaluators. "For Fort Bragg, the 'Thanksgiving Competition' has been going on for over 20 years. Historically, these Soldiers have been putting out a lot of artistic ability."

Although the hope of taking first place in the competition has been in the mind of every cook at the Blackjack Café, the true purpose of the meal was never forgotten.

"The main purpose of Thanksgiving is to make sure the Soldiers get their traditional Thanksgiving meal that they would have back home. Winning the competition is just icing on the cake," Chow said. "If my Soldiers are happy and well fed, then I've done my job."

With the meal done and over with, the hard-working chefs, most of whom have been working late into the evenings leading up to the meal, took the time to rest and enjoy their own work.

"There were nights we wouldn't get out to three or four in the morning," said Pfc. Amber Novak, a food service specialist at the Blackjack Café. "We're not just preparing for Thanksgiving, we're also doing our daily job."

"It feels good to sit down to a job well done. I can relax tonight," said Spc. Wayne Vandever, a food service specialist at the Blackjack Café. "Tomorrow begins the quest for the Phillip A. Connelly competition."

With the exception of the Phillip A. Connelly competition, which is the food service community's top honor, Thanksgiving gives them a chance to let their fellow Soldiers know and taste, what they can do.

"For cooks, this is our time to shine for the command," Vandever said.

For some Soldiers, the day's meal will be the only Thanksgiving feast they have. For others, it's the first of two Thanksgiving meals.

"Now its time to go home and do it all again," Novak said referring to preparing Thanksgiving for her family.

Results of the competition are scheduled for release sometime next week.

• Date Taken: 11.23.2005
• Date Posted: 11.25.2005 18:55
• Story ID: 3875