Healthy Food and Healthy Competition

October 03, 2022 - Defence Stories

Article by: Captain Leah Pierce, Public Affairs
Photos by: Sailor 3 Donna Hindle, Imagery Basic Training List

Flexing their culinary and creative muscles, members of Wing Foods have been offering Wednesday Specials.  The menus typically include standard favorites like poutine, however, also embrace diversity by offering a variety of different nationality dishes such as Filipino Theme Day. 

Wednesday, August 31st, 2022, was an extra “special” Wednesday for members of 22 Wing treated to the Black Box Cooking Challenge. 

Four teams of two cooks were given a box of the same food items (chicken, broccoli and brown rice) at 0630 hrs, and explained the rules by Master Sailor (MS) David Lescombe, brain child behind the cooking challenge.  The goal was to prepare a lunch using these same ingredients served through the steam-line and to a panel of judges. The cooking challenge also included a “twist” of one ingredient that was unusual or really didn’t fit well with the other ingredients in the box, providing an extra challenge to the competitors.  That item was black licorice. 

“Seven years ago I took part in a Black Box Competition held by the [Royal Canadian] Navy to encourage recruiting,” explained MS Lescombe. “It involved the cooks from Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (West Coast) versus Canadian Forces Base Halifax (East Coast).” 

Applying this concept of a cooking challenge to 22 Wing, the intent was not to recruit but to develop its members.  “The Black Box Competition was to help with professional development and to showcase the skills of our cooks to the rest of 22 Wing,” stated MS Lescombe, a seasoned cook in the Canadian Armed Forces and in charge of rations at the kitchen.

The objective of the Black Box Cooking Challenge was to give the teams a box of ingredients and a limited time frame to use them all with existing ingredients in the kitchen, and judge them on how they prepared an amazing, healthy dish.

The team creation was extremely strategic. It was a mix of senior and junior cooks.  This ensured professional development.  The cooking competition was also an opportunity to engage in friendly competition which lead to a boost in moral.  “The Black Box Cooking Challenge encouraged team cohesion and showcased what my cooks could do on the fly, developing a full meal in four hours,” stated Warrant Officer (WO) Eric Doxsee, 22 Wing Foods Officer.

Like other sections within 22 Wing, there are staffing challenges in the kitchen.  By hosting the cooking challenge, it offered a creative opportunity to develop the skills of the cooks without having to close down the kitchen.  “This is something that other sections could embrace,” suggested WO Doxsee.

The teams included:

Team 1:  John O’Leary and Private (Pte) Charles Metcs, who created ‘Roasted chicken with risotto and bacon wrapped broccolini’

Team 2:  Caroline Lazazzera and Corporal (Cpl) Jessie-Lee Scherger, who created ‘Wild rice stuffed chicken breast with liquorish sauce and broccolini’

Team 3:  Sailor 1 Gary Koshowski and Cadmus Bryce, who created ‘Mediterranean fried chicken with roasted tomato infused wild rice and grilled broccolini’

Team 4:  Corporal Glenn Wallingford and Private Laura Hann, who created ‘Brown sugar soy glazed Asian chicken breast and broccolini.

All teams attacked the challenge in the same method.  They worked together, breaking down each of the ingredients to incorporate them in a fun and tasty way.  The “twist” did not faze the cooks! Cooks such as Caroline Lazaazzera, a cook for twenty years, and Cpl Scherger were very excited for the cooking challenge. “We have been anticipating this but it was hard to prepare because you didn’t know what the ingredients were. It definitely made coming to work fun!”

Other cooks such as Pte Metcs, a one-year member of the Canadian Armed Forces working on becoming a qualified cook, thought the cooking challenge was a good idea.  “We are competing against each other but all in good fun.”

By lunch time, the smells coming from the kitchen were incredible.  The diners could choose from the four dishes and remarked at how amazing the food tasted.

The judges included Sandra Harkness, 422 (Nipissing) Royal Canadian Air Force Association, Colonel (Col) Richard Jolette, 22 Wing Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Roy, Commanding Officer Mission Support Squadron, Major Jeff Lee, Replenishment and Engineering Officer, and Chief Warrant Officer Rick Martin, Mission Support Squadron Chief Warrant Officer.

Each judge was provided with all four dishes, uniquely plated masterpieces and served with an explanation from each of the cooks. The judges were excited to try the dishes in great anticipation stating that the Wednesday special was extra special.  “My dream come true!” Col Jolette announced as they finished the last plate offered. 

After all the scores were tallied from the judges and the ballots counted from the diners, WO Doxsee and MS Lescombe announced the winner.  Team 2 made up of Caroline Lazazzera and Corporal (Cpl) Jessie-Lee Scherger were the first winners of the Black Box Cooking Challenge held at 22 Wing North Bay!  In addition to friendly bragging rights within the kitchen, Caroline received a gift card, and Cpl Scherger received a day off. Their dish and that of the runner up (Team 1) will be offered in the future as a Wednesday special to all diners.

Regardless of the outcome of the Black Box Cooking Challenge, both competitors and diners agreed that the event was fun and can hardly wait for the next cooking challenge.