• JB McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J.
A foodservice specialist from the 87th Force Support Squadron (FSS) has cooked up a spot at the national Salute Hospitality Epicurean Faceoff (SHEF), a culinary competition sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Services Center and Aramark to provide culinary Airmen an opportunity to sharpen their cooking skills and display their “chops.”
During the recent 87th FSS competition, Airman 1st Class Shanise Caampued and Senior Airmen Jaylen Lovett and Nidia Hernandez-Lima, 87th FSS foodservice specialists, brought their A-games, stirring in talent, precision, and passion under the heat of intense scrutiny.
Caampued took first place, earning a ticket to the national competition at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio, Texas, where she was given one box of mystery ingredients and one hour to cook as she competed against 10 other Air Force foodservice specialists from military bases across the country.
“I’m incredibly excited and honored to represent JB MDL at the national competition,” Caampued said. “Knowing that Halvorsen Hall Dining Facility and the 87th FSS are behind me means a great deal. Their support is the spark that drives me to give my absolute best, not just for myself but for everyone who has invested in me.”
GIVING HER THE EDGE
This is Caampued’s second SHEF win, having won a quarterly 87th FSS SHEF contest earlier this year. It was this experience that gave her the edge, said Staff Sgt. Heather Love, 87th FSS foodservices supervisor.
“Her poise and composure definitely gave her a leg up,” Love said. “Being a returning champ gave her confidence in her skills and allowed her to deliver flawlessly.”
2nd Lt. Christian Shelton, 87th FSS food officer in charge, shared this perspective, attributing Caampued’s ability to handle a challenging ingredient for beefing up her chances to win.
“She had to clean and carve a whole tenderloin of beef,” Shelton said. “It’s not as easy as it sounds.”
THE COMPETITION
During the 87th FSS competition, no element was left unseasoned as Caampued and her fellow competitors were judged “from start to finish, from prep to plating,” Shelton stated.
“This competition is not for the faint of heart,” Shelton noted. “It’s tough, it’s regulated, it’s enduring, and it’s the opportunity of a lifetime.”
It is more than a culinary showdown; it is a vital opportunity for Air Force foodservice specialists to foster pride in their craft and demonstrate how their work contributes to the readiness of warfighters in any environment, Love said.
“Wherever you are at, deployed or home station, you always want to eat good food,” Love explained. “This competition helps the chefs build on learned skills through training and solidify skills they already use daily at Halvorsen Hall. It’s an opportunity for these Airmen to grow confident in their abilities to execute.”
ON THE NATIONAL STAGE
With the skills honed and confidence gained through this demanding competition, Caampued is now eager to translate that growth into a winning performance on the national stage.
“I’m ready to represent our team with pride and show what JB MDL brings to the table,” Caampued said.
Source: JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.. Public Affairs
Edited by Larry Lapka
