Culinary Specialists Go to Battlestations in Fleet Week Galley Wars

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Greg Johnson, Commander, Navy Region Southeast Public Affairs

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (NNS) -- More than 30 culinary specialists assigned to ships participating in Fleet Week Port Everglades 2012 competed in Galley Wars April 28 at Hugh's Culinary in Oakland Park, Fla.

The event was designed to test the kitchen skills of participants and recognize their superior talents in the field of culinary arts through a fast-paced cooking competition, an event Hugh's Culinary owner and event organizer Hugh McCauley said is intended to bring the military and civilian communities closer together.

"Our main goal is to promote some camaraderie between the military and the community," he said. "We all enjoy the opportunity to interact with each other and mingle and this event is a great way to do that."

The competition featured one team from each ship, including the multi-purpose amphibious assault Ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile destroyers USS San Jacinto (CG 56) and USS Gettysburg (CG 64), the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS DeWert (FFG 45), the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bernard C. Webber and the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Dallas (SSN 700). Each team had one hour to prepare two identical platters composed of several courses with at least one of those dishes including the secret ingredient - swordfish.

"It's one of those things you can't really prepare for," said Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Curtis Pacheco of Wasp. "You don't really know what you'll be working with until you get there. It was the first time I had done something like this and it was really fun," said Pacheco. "There was definitely a lot of competitiveness in the kitchen between the ships."

"Every participant from the ship has to bring their A-game to succeed here," McCauley said. "It's always a challenge, but they always bring their individual expertise and pull together a team effort to overcome a difficult environment."

Once the dishes were plated, they were judged by five celebrity judges. This year's Judges Choice Award winner was Dallas and the Audience Favorite Award winner was Bernard C. Webber.

However, winning and losing were not the most important aspect of the event, said Culinary Specialist 2nd Class (SS) Josue Ramirez, a culinary specialist assigned to Dallas.

"They all had great attitudes and teamwork," he said. "They were really some of the best cooks in the Navy and it was a great experience to compete against them and learn from each other."

According to McCauley, the competition was fierce and it was extremely difficult to choose a winner.

"All the teams were really close and they all did a great job at using their experience. Every one of them did a superb job with the secret ingredient and every team put forth a tremendous effort. All of them should be proud," he said.

The Navy's more than 7,000 culinary specialists (CS), deployed around the globe, feed on average more than 92 million wholesome and nutritious meals per year, ensuring the Navy's fighting forces operate at peak performance and are ready to respond to threats worldwide. Navy commanding officers agree that nothing impacts Sailors on a day-to-day basis more than the food CSs prepare for them; they believe these top quality meals contribute directly to Sailor quality of life and morale. Today's CSs have greater culinary instruction than ever before. With even more advanced training on the way. Sailors, both afloat and ashore, can look forward to even healthier and better-tasting meals in the near future.

Four U.S. Navy ships, a submarine and a U.S. Coast Guard cutter are participating in Fleet Week Port Everglades 2012, an event designed to showcase the investment Americans have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.

Fleet Week Port Everglades Starts with 'Roll Call' at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Preston Paglinawan, Navy Region Southeast Pulic Affairs

PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. (NNS) -- More than 800 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen participated in the official beginning of the U.S. Navy's largest community outreach effort in south Florida April 25 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

The All Hands on Deck Welcoming Party and "roll call," a Fleet Week Port Everglades mainstay hosted by Broward Navy Days, local Navy leagues, city and county officials, served as a platform for the city of Hollywood, Fla. - bordered by Port Everglades, Fla., and 25 miles from Miami - to welcome Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen to a city with no significant U.S. Navy presence.

Broward Navy Days Treasurer Colleen Lockwood said Hollywood, Fla., and the surrounding municipalities anticipate the week-long Fleet Week Port Everglades event each year, now in its 22nd iteration.

"We love the fact that we have our active duty military in town," she said. "It's exciting and [Sailors] go out and do projects for churches, hospitals, schools and charities."

Fleet Week Port Everglades is a weeklong event hosted by Broward Navy Days and local Navy Leagues, and is designed to showcase the sea services, honor the men and women of the sea services through public events and recognition, and provide the sea services an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of surface platforms, equipment and the skills of the men and women serving aboard these vessels.

Service members from multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers USS San Jacinto (CG 56) and USS Gettysburg (CG 64), Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS DeWert (FFG 45), U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bernard C. Webber, the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Dallas (SSN 700), as well as U.S. Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are scheduled to participate in a number of community outreach activities as well as enjoy the hospitality and tourism of South Florida during Fleet Week Port Everglades.

Service members from the five visiting ships and submarine along with thousands of residents from the south Florida community attended the four-hour function, which included a free buffet dinner, a traditional exchange of plaques between visiting ship's commanding officers and city and county officials and an opportunity for community members to interact with service members.

"I'm certainly glad that the Navy and Marine Corps came together today to have a good time because they all do a great job for our country and they deserve to have some good r&r," said Nashville, Tenn., resident and Fleet Week Port Everglades visitor Mary Rollins.

The welcoming party also included a "roll call" from each of the visiting ships. After the introduction of each vessel's commanding officer, service members in ranks provided a "call," representing their ship.