Chefs from the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) won Silver and Bronze awards during the prestigious Malta Kulinarja 2011 edition of the bi-annual cooking and culinary arts championship, this year held at the Millenium Stand Ta’ Qali between November 6th and 13th.

Throughout the week long event organised by the Malta Chefs Society, all the Chefs participating in the competition came up with the most creative dishes to establish Malta’s culinary champion. Amongst them where a number of military chefs based around the Mediterranean, who battled to tantalise the competitions’ judges and visitors’ taste buds. The AFM was invited to participate in the Malta Kulinarja 2011 event by the US Navy’s 6th Fleet.

Commenting on the awards received, Commanding Officer 4 Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Mario Spiteri said that “undoubtedly, the AFM chefs’ performance was salted with stress and peppered with passion, that is the path of the professional chef. The competition surely allows these soldiers to learn and evolve. And that, over time, defines the true difference between a “chef” and a “cook.”

This culinary competition brought together some of the best chefs on the Island in one kitchen court, specially built for the event. Three Maltese military Chefs from 4 Regiment’s Catering Company were selected to participate in this competition: Lance Bombardier Antonello Vidal and Lance Bombardier Tristan Gauci competed as Chefs, accompanied by Lance Bombardier Alfio Micallef as Commis Chef. These AFM Chefs had the chance of meeting international judges, both from the military and from the International Chef Society.

The Regiment’s Catering Company commander, Lieutenant Sharon Bellizzi, added that “Some might wrongly think that there are no chefs in the military. The majority of military food service members are chefs, or they are on the path to becoming one. Our men are adaptable, resourceful, knowledgeable in mass quantity food production, clean and sanitary in the worst environments during military operations (on land or at sea), they understand pressure and the “hurry up and wait” kitchen battle-cry, they know how to work with vendors, can load stores better than anyone, and are extremely organized. As soldiers, we thrive in these positions. Knowing the basics of cooking and our other skills only reduces the gap between a military cook and non-restaurant chefs, to a mere small adjustment to a finer cooking style.”

The AFM participants showed their individual capabilities in cooking a main course for 4 people within 80 minutes, and competing head to head with US Navy Chefs. The Maltese team prepared chicken and tuna based dishes. Lance Bombardiers Gauci and Vidal won Silver and Bronze awards repectively, and together they later went on with a German and American contingent of Chefs to prepare dinner for a guest night held at the Chef Restaurant in Xemxija, in aid of the INSPIRE charitable organization.

Photo by Justin Gatt/AFM Press Office shows Lance Bombardier Alfio Micallef, Lance Bombardier Tristan Gauci, and Lance Bombardier Antonello Vidal.

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