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thedrifter
08-16-08, 06:42 AM
Local Marines compete in military version of 'Top Chef'
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August 14, 2008 - 9:17AM
Jennifer Hlad/Jacksonville Daily News
Freedom ENC

On a wooded training area aboard Camp Lejeune, somewhere between Mainside and Courthouse Bay, the Marines of Food Service Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, have been hard at work for more than a month.

They've cleared the underbrush, leveled the ground, erected dozens of tents, laid temporary flooring and set up a kitchen that can serve hundreds - all in anticipation of a Marine Corps version of "Top Chef."

The field mess competition tests the company's ability to set up camp, prepare food and serve the food in a remote area. Judges examine the company's adherence to standards, as well as the service, how the food was prepared and tastes, the accessibility of the serving and dining areas, the security around the camp and other factors.

Food Service Company competed for the II Marine Expeditionary Force portion of the contest Wednesday. Next month, they'll compete in the Corps-wide competition.

Lance Cpl. Robert Snowden feels confident in the company's chances of winning the regional contest. Judges will make a final decision later this week and declare a winner.

"We're just it, we're just that good," Snowden said last week as he gave a tour of the camp.

Snowden worked as a cook before he joined the Marine Corps but said there are differences between cooking in the civilian sector and in the Corps.

"When we really get down and do our job, get everyone fed ... you feel more proud of yourself, because you are feeding the people that are helping you fight for our freedom," he said.

Setting up the camp - which included sleeping tents, showers, an office tent and virtually everything a unit would need for a six-month deployment - has its own set of challenges.

The biggest obstacle is the terrain, said Sgt. Darren Duke, assistant operations chief for Food Service Company, CLR-27.

The Marines had to take a forest and clear it by hand - not cutting down any trees, but leveling the ground and getting rid of the underbrush.

Working in the field can also cause difficulties with the equipment, which Duke said is "moody."

And, he said, there is less time to cook than in a normal dining facility.

But setting up and cooking for the competition allows the new Marines to really work together and get a taste of the challenges most will likely experience soon, Duke said.

"They will see what they're actually going to do in Iraq," he said. "It is good for them ... so when they deploy at the beginning of next year, they will be ready."

Capt. William Tapscott, commander of Food Service Company, said the competition is an opportunity for the new Marines to "get their feet wet."

"This gives us a chance to shine, but it also gives them much-needed training as we're about to go forward," he said.

Ellie