I JUST LOVE COOKING.
I GUESS YOU COULD SAY I LIKE THE CHALLENGE,
ESPECIALLY LIKE PASTRIES BECAUSE IT’S KIND
OF LIKE SCIENCE, IF YOU DON’T NAIL IT JUST
RIGHT, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN.
LEWIS YOU KNOCK OVER MY COOLI WE’RE GONNA
HAVE A PROBLEM.
HI, I’M SERGEANT FIRST CLASS BOGGS, AND
I’M ON THE FORT DRUM CULINARY ARTS TEAM.
FORT DRUM IS COMPETING IN THE JOINT CULINARY
TRAINING EXERCISE THIS MARCH AT FORT LEE.
THE ANNUAL EVENT GIVES MILITARY CHEFS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS UP AGAINST AMERICAN
CULINARY FOUNDATION STANDARDS.
I DEFINITELY THINK   FORT DRUM’S CULINARY
ARTS TEAM IS VERY COMMITTED TO WHAT WE DO.
LAST YEAR THEY CAME IN SECOND…
BUT  SPC HUY NGUYEN WAS ABLE TO TAKE HOME STUDENT CHEF OF THE YEAR.
SO LAST YEAR I WAS A STUDENT, MY FIRST YEAR
ON THE TEAM, I WENT DOWN TO FORT LEE, AND
I ENDED UP WINNING SO THAT WAS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.
I STILL HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO IMPROVE, I STILL
HAVE A LOT TO LEARN, BUT I WANT TO KEEP GOING
AS FAR AS I CAN.
TO ME IT’S FUN PLAYING WITH DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS AND TAKING SOMETHING
AND TURNING IT INTO A  WHOLE NEW THING.
PREPARING THE FORT DRUM CULINARY ARTS TEAM FOR COMPETITION
HAS MADE AN IMPACT ON SERGEANT BOGGS.
IT IS A VERY CHALLENGING JOB.
IT’S BASICALLY TAKING TEN UNIQUE PERSONALITIES,
SKILL SETS AND TRYING TO PUSH THEM ALL IN
THE SAME DIRECTION OR DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
AT ONE TIME TO ACCOMPLISH ONE MISSION AND
THAT’S TO WIN THE COMPETITION.
COMPETITORS ARE ABLE TO HONE THEIR ABILITIES
AS CULINARY ARTS SPECIALISTS WHICH IMPROVES
THE QUALITY OF FOOD SERVICES TO THEIR UNITS,
PREPARING THEM TO BETTER PERFORM IN GARRISON
AND IN A DEPLOYED ENVIRONMENT.
TODAY WAS OUR LAST AND OUR VERY FIRST RUN THROUGH OF A THREE COURSE.
SO THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO LITERALLY OVERNIGHT MISE FOR A THREE COURSE
AND PUT ONE OUT NOT DOING IT BEFORE WITH THIS MENU, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE RIGHT WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
THIS YEAR’S FORT DRUM STUDENT CHEF HAS BEEN
IN THE ARMY A LITTLE OVER A YEAR...BUT SHE’S
READY TO COMPETE.
OF COURSE, I’M GOING TO WIN, OF COURSE.
I'M GONNA MISE MY RECIPE OUT, THAT'S GET ALL
MY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER, MISE MY EQUIPMENT
AND GET READY FOR MY RUN THROUGH WHICH IS
I PRACTICE MY DISH, MY STUDENT CHEF DISH,
AND I ACTUALLY COOK IT FOR SERGEANT BOGGS
AND THEY JUDGE IT, TELL ME HOW IT IS, WHAT
MISTAKES I COULD MAKE BETTER, WHAT I CAN DO
BETTER.
COMPETING FOR A PLACE ON THE CULINARY TEAM
HAS HELPED PFC LEWIS DEVELOP HER CRAFT.
I’VE LEARNED SO MANY NEW THINGS FROM EACH
AND EVERY PERSON, NO MATTER IF THEY’RE A
PRIVATE OR MY RANK OR AN E7, I LEARNED SO MANY NEW THINGS THAT I CAN TAKE BACK TO MY DFAC
AND TAKE BACK IN MY CAREER FOR MYSELF.
SERGEANT BOGGS EMPHASIZES THAT THE COMPETITION
CHALLENGES MILITARY CHEFS TO IMPROVE THEIR
SKILLS IN THE DFAC, WHICH IN TURN IMPROVES
SOLDIERS’ NUTRITION AND READINESS OF THE
FORCE.
YOU’RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE THOSE FEW INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO MAKE ARMY FOOD SERVICE BETTER
AND ALSO JUST CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE CULINARY SIDE.
I FEEL WE HAVE A LOT TO BRING TO THE TABLE.
