Australian Chef Exchange USS Jefferson City |
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MEDIA RELEASE
Chefs show their versatility Mess Specialist Jason Cassell (left) with chefs Alfred Miles and Marcus Mathyssek. A DAY in the kitchen took on a different feel this week for Hyatt Regency Perth chef Alfred Miles, of Currambine. Used to working directly under executive chef Marcus Mathyssek when needed in any of the hotel's seven kitchens, Alfred spent Tuesday cooking in a confined space and without gas in the visiting American nuclear-powered submarine USS Jefferson City. To avoid any risk of explosion, cooking in the submarine's galley is done with electricity and not gas. There is also restricted on-board food supplies to work with. But that was no hindrance to Alfred who before cooking for a crew of 143 was looking forward to the experience and to learning from working in a "different environment". He was confident of "still producing an absolutely high quality meal" using only WA produce. He prepared Harvey beef cheeks with Margaret River marron and honey roasted butternut pump¬ kin with sugar snap peas and fetta grissini. "At the end of the day all chefs work in a kitchen - the submarine is just a different environment," he said. The Hyatt pair swapped kitchens with mess specialist chefs from the submarine. A US Navy chef started the program in Japan, with the aim of allowing military and restaurant chefs to exchange culinary skills and ideas in each other's kitchens for a day. Since then, program co-ordinator and former HMAS Stirling petty officer Paul Graham and Vicki Mayell from the Catering Institute of Western Australia have taken up the project. "The challenge for USS Jefferson City's chefs is to prepare an exquisite range of eclectic dishes for restaurant and hotel guests," Mr Graham said. "Cooking in the galley is about quantity rather than quality while at the Hyatt, the aim will be quality as well as quantity. "Six chefs (on 12 to 14-hour shifts) are assigned to turn out four meals a day for submarine crew members who have been on deployment for up to six months. "Storage, especially cold storage, is minimal, so chefs cannot always use the freshest of ingredients - notably when on long deployments." However, a good meal boosts morale and meals of up to seven courses can include crab, lobster and prime rib to the more casual offerings of hamburgers and soup. USS Jefferson City was berthed at HMAS Stirling, Garden Island., and was due to leave when Community was going to print yesterday. (subs Wed 19th June)
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Life is a
smorgasbord for Paul - From hotel to nuclear submarine, life is never dull for ex
local boy Paul Graham. The Wellington Times,
Australia. Article about the chef exchange with the USS JEFFERSON CITY and the
Hyatt Regency Hotel Perth W.A
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