NEW ALBANY — Recently, the 387th MP Co. (I/R) unit stationed at the Armory National Guard Unit in New Albany won the award for top food service in Indiana, and on Saturday the unit competed in the Philip A. Connelly Award for Excellence in Army Food Service, which begins at the regional level and can eventually lead to the national Department of Army Level.

Dave Mitchell, an evaluator for the International Food Service Executive Association (IFSEA), explained what the judges looked for in all the units competing.

“We are looking for everything that they do on a regular basis when they are feeding the soldiers day in and day out. Even though this is a competition, we look at the set-up, selected site and the menu,” Mitchell said.

The judges also look at culinary skills such as knife handling, broiling, brazing and baking. Consistency and perfect timing is also key.

“What that meal looks like and what it tastes like for that first soldier must be the same for every soldier. We also spend a lot of time with sanitation and making sure the meals are nutritious and meet high caloric value,” Mitchell said.

Another important aspect is the knowledge of the equipment. When cooking for up to 4,000 soldiers, all mobile kitchens are operated by generator and portable water.

“If something breaks down, what do you do? You still have soldiers to feed,” Mitchell said.

Normally, the food service units have a menu card to select from, and the ingredients are raw-rations. For the competition, each unit across the region prepared a chicken parmesan meal inside the mobile kitchen trailers that can reach temperatures of more than 120 degrees, depending on the outdoor temperature.  

The Philip A. Connelly Awards Program began in 1968, in honor of the former President of the IFSEA. The IFSEA has partnered with the military and it judges food preparation worldwide at bases and active field kitchens. Mitchell compared the recognition to the Academy Awards.         

Jennifer S. Pampuch, 387th MP CO (I/R) commander, said she is very proud of the unit, especially three of the six cooking personnel currently serving in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

“I believe we have some of the best cooks in the state. They are the hardest working and they love their jobs. I hope we do really well and are able to move on,” Pampuch said about the competition that will yield results in the fall.

Sgt. Melton Thompson has been cooking for the Army for 14 years, and he said he has loved the opportunities to see the world and feed his fellow soldiers.

“The biggest challenge military wise is dealing with the heat, but that’s balanced out by the smiles and ‘good jobs’ and ‘attaboys,’” said Thompson, who is currently studying to further his culinary skills, as it has since become a passion.          

For the unit who is currently stationed at the Armory, convenience of nearby stores offer spice choices for the state-regulated meals that are prepared when there is not a competition. Pampuch explained that the spices improve the meals that are prepared by the talented unit. However, when soldiers are serving overseas, spices are not readily available, but cooking spices can be kindly included in care packages sent to the troops.