COOKING IN UNUSUAL PLACES
by SSGT S A Jeffery
British Army Chef... not your average chef! A
Trained as a combat-ready soldier first and chef second, the public support for the British Army Chef has never been so strong!
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sk any professional Chef what they think of when you say British Army Chef and they might reply ‘mass catering with lack of creativity or variety’ or they might quote actor Steven Seagal “I’m just a cook” from the film Under Siege. Most battle hardened soldiers will agree that what they look forward to most after returning from a patrol is Facebook and food (scoff) depending on whether their location has a military chef and WIFI! With over 200 roles on offer in the British Army, if you are looking for a job that provides variety, challenge and an incredible sense of pride, look no further than the British Army Chef. The chef trade is part of the Royal Logistics Corps (RLC) The British Army Chef is one of the most respected and valued trades in the British Army. The role of the British Army Chef is to provide subsistence at any time, environment or location worldwide. The equipment can range from state
of the art kitchen’s to a very large tent cooking on a field kitchen, or as we refer to as OFCS (Operational Field Catering System) A modular field kitchen system that is adaptable for a variety of roles and requirements. Typically one OFCS is designed for providing catering for 40 people. The London Olympics provided an excellent example how adaptable the equipment can be to use, catering from 40 to 4,000 plus at each meal. Read any personal account of battle fields and the supply of fresh and nutritional food will often be one of the contributory factors supporting the will to fight on. Napoleon is often quoted as saying that “An army marches on its stomach.” Getting high quality food to troops in difficult conditions is a key part of an army’s success. As one officer confided about rations in WW2 ‘corned beef was so despised by WW2 troops that on training exercises, they threw them over the cliff, preferring hunger!’
