With a frying spatula in one hand and a
ladle in the other, the soldiers don their aprons over their new
pixelised combat uniform as they psyched themselves up for a challenge
of a different kind.
Known as the "flying chefs", these men
from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) help satisfy the hunger pangs of
hundreds of soldiers who are away on overseas deployment.
Corporal (CPL) Muhammad Faizal Bin Abd Raman who reckons his best dish is nasi goreng kampung or fried rice in kampung style, finds that his love for cooking has served him well.
"You
have to love cooking before you can cook for four to five hundred
soldiers. Without the love for cooking, you can't cook well," said the
supply assistant.
These trainees undergo a three-week Basic
Food Handling Course where they learn to cook simple dishes in small
servings. They also learn about the basics of working in the kitchen
including kitchen safety, food preparation, and personal hygiene.
This
is followed by a six-week Enhanced Catering Course where they are
equipped with the skills of bulk cooking and are imparted the product
knowledge of ingredients as well as being taught proper food storage.
However, not all supply assistants get the chance to attend the Enhanced Catering Course.
Only
those who show commitment, interest, and who demonstrate exemplary
performance and excellent conduct are selected to attend the course
based on their superiors' recommendations.
Conducted twice a
year, the Enhanced Catering Course only admits up to six candidates
during each intake, with four to five vacancies already filled by the
Food and Beverage managers from various SAF cookhouses each time.
For
"flying chef" CPL Iman Bin Zailan, who returned from a three-week
overseas deployment, he derives an immense sense of achievement from
his job.
"When you cook in the jungle, you can feel that the
atmosphere is something different. It's a once in a lifetime activity
and even though it's quite tiring, at the end of the day, we are
appreciated by the soldiers for the fresh rations," shared the supply
assistant from Supply Hub (East).
"The troops were so happy, they asked for extra food!"
Once
deployed overseas, the "flying chefs" have the Mobile Field Kitchen and
the Mobile Field Refrigerator at their disposal when outfield.
Working in pairs, they need no more than 30 minutes to deploy and operate both equipment.
With
the diesel-driven Mobile Field Kitchen, which allows for stir-frying,
grilling, boiling, baking and the like, the chefs can cook simple
dishes for between 250 to 300 soldiers (or the size of one company)
within two hours.
The Mobile Field Kitchen is complemented by
the Mobile Field Refrigerator comprising two freezers and two chillers
which allow for food and rations storage of up to three days.
Indeed,
the role of the "flying chefs" in ensuring that troops operate at their
optimum while on overseas missions like Humanitarian Assistance and
Disaster Relief operations, cannot be underrated.
"When our
soldiers are deployed overseas, without me and the other chefs, the
soldiers would have nothing to eat so it's really important for us to
be there. After their training, the soldiers are tired and hungry. The
hot meals that we prepare for them will boast their morale," explained
CPL Faizal, who completed his Enhanced Catering Course last month.
Currently,
there are a total of 30 certified "flying chefs" in the SAF, who help
ensure soldiers get served piping hot food no matter where in the world
they may be.
Wasn't this an article in the Pioneer magazine quite some time back.
Originally posted by gutripper:Wasn't this an article in the Pioneer magazine quite some time back.
isit?
Originally posted by NG QIBO AARON AUBREY:isit?
http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/publications/cyberpioneer/news/2009/December/23dec09_news.html
Yes it is.
Originally posted by superlibra:
ok