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    Culinary Specialist aboard Gerald R. Ford will Compete around the Globe

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    Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Triniti Lersch | Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Max Delices, from Delray Beach, Florida, assigned to the...... read more read more

    MEDITERRANEAN SEA

    10.10.2023

    Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Triniti Lersch 

    USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)           

    Culinary Specialist (CS) 3rd Class Max Delices was selected for the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Navy Culinary Arts Team (NCAT) Program competition for his work spearheading multiple cooking competitions aboard the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. His leadership noticed his skills and initiative and had him submit an application for the prestigious competition.

    “The competition I’m participating in is the NCAT Program,” said Delices. “It’s a competition that only one culinary specialist per command or ship gets selected to participate in.”

    The NAVSUP NCAT Program is a year-round training and competitive program to provide Navy culinary specialists the opportunity to train with certified American Culinary Federation professionals and members of the United States Army Culinary Arts team in preparation for the Annual Joint Culinary Training Exercise that will be held in Fort Lee, Virginia in 2024. His competitors will be culinary specialists from different U.S. Navy commands and other countries’ naval commands around the globe.

    For the initial application of the competition, Delices made bacon-wrapped pineapple dusted with brown sugar and cayenne pepper for the appetizer, and then croquette rice and chicken florentine as the entrée. For dessert, he made a brownie garnished with sliced strawberries and strawberry and chocolate drizzle.

    After being in the Navy for a little over a year, and being aboard Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) for just 8 months, Delices immediately stood out to his leadership. His department chose him to be the CS for the Commanding Officer, and meritoriously advanced him to CS3.

    “CS3 Delices is an outstanding Sailor with great motivation and talent,” said Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Gerald Foxworth, the Leading Culinary Specialist of the supply department. “He always goes above and beyond to make his products taste great and stand out. His initiative and willingness to do better is easily noticed. He definitely takes pride in all he does, including his appearance. These factors, along with his supreme military bearing, are the reasons we nominated him to be the Commanding Officer’s Cook and for Meritorious Advancement Program. He truly earned this position and the rank he now wears. I admire his growth and enjoy seeing him progress within the rate and the command.”

    He was born in Haiti and raised in Delray Beach, Florida, and has been cooking since he was 9 years old. Since then, it has been his passion. Delices’ favorite meal to make is a Haitian dish called Griot, which consists of pork and spicy lettuce.

    “When I was growing up, my grandma and my dad taught me how to cook,” said Delices. “Since then I’ve loved it. I always felt like food could change somebody’s day.”


    Although Delices is an outstanding, talented and motivated Sailor, he credits his motivation to the leadership and senior Sailors in his department.

    “I would like give a special shoutout to Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Lynval Weise, Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Gerald Foxworth, Chief Culinary Specialist Prince Kudalor, Chief Culinary Specialist Heather Hoban, Chief Culinary Specialist Derrick Bates, Chief Culinary Specialist Crystal Holmes, and Culinary Specialist 1st Class Geeair Hargrove,” said Delices. “They have helped me with my career and have given me an amazing opportunity. Every day they make my knowledge of being a CS better. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am at, or be as great of a cook.”

    The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) is conducting a scheduled deployment in U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, demonstrating the commitment and power projection capability of the Navy’s globally deployed force. The GRFCSG provides an inherently flexible naval force capable of deploying across combatant commands to meet emerging missions, deter potential adversaries, reassure allies and partners, enhance security and guarantee the free flow of global commerce. In total, the GRFCSG is deployed with more than 5,000 Sailors across all platforms ready to respond globally to combatant commander tasking.

    Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier. As the first-in-class ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap in the U.S. Navy’s capacity to project power on a global scale. Ford-class aircraft carriers introduce 23 new technologies, including EMALS, AAG and Advanced Weapons Elevators. The new systems incorporated onto Ford-class ships are designed to deliver greater lethality, survivability and joint interoperability with a 20% smaller crew than a Nimitz-class carrier, paving the way forward for naval aviation.

    For more information about the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), visit https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/cvn78/ and follow along on Facebook: @USSGeraldRFord, Instagram: @cvn78_grford, Twitter: @Warship_78, DVIDS www.dvids.net/CVN78 and LinkedIn at USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 10.10.2023
    Date Posted: 11.17.2023 09:29
    Story ID: 458034
    Location: MEDITERRANEAN SEA

    Web Views: 488
    Downloads: 0

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