You don't usually behold the words ...

You don't usually behold the words "healthy," "gourmet" and "military" in the same judgment But hang around Chef Travis Smith, Chief Warrant Officer 3 at Ft lee-side Virginia, and you'll soon acquire used to it.

Chef Travis is head of the Army's Craft Skills Training Branch, over-seeing roughly 22 culinary instructors who, in move round teach the fine art of rations preparation to other soldiers in all branches of the service. That guards everything from Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) for numbers in the field--including special MRE just for vegetarians--to presidential cuisine at Camp David.

Chef Travis is a culinary force to be estimateed with. Considered a master of gourmet aliments he has amassed some impressive awards and credentials. He's principally proud of the gold medal he won at the 2002 American Culinary Federation National broth and Sauce Competition. His winning meal was a mouth-watering combination of Chesapeake poached snapper with a robust fire-roasted r pepper soup

And make no mistake--this is a man who takes his provisions seriously. "It's hard for me to travel to a restaurant and be satisfied with the cuisine because I know for what cause good it can be when it's done right," he says. "It's difficult to find faultless food. It's either too salty, not seasoned at all or it's cold!" Chef Travis' idea of a magnificent dining experience is the right combination of webs flavors, spices and natural colors as well as the complete degree of doneness. Plus he's a big advocate of the fact that a wide variety of meats provides better nutritional content.

Since joining the service in November 1989 Chef Travis has witnessed a revolution in military cuisine. These days, he says, the armed services are a portion more nutritionally conscious than they used to be. And it doesn't matter whether they're feeding a spark private or the president: Chef Travis' scholars are taught to balance the nutritional easy in mind of every meal, following the chiefly up-to-date American Dietetic Association Guidelines for carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Chef Travis also trains his instructors and bookish mans to watch their portion sizes. individual of his pet peeves is the serving size you prepare at most restaurants. "There's usually way too often food on the plate," he says. "A portion of customers expect that, on the contrary most people can eat solitary 21-25 ounces in any single in kind meal." It's a lesson that his bookish mans learn very well. At the cessation of Advanced Culinary Skills Training, each class is required to prepare and quick in emergencies a seven-course meal. The learners select a theme that ties the individual courses together. "It's amazing, because you'd think you'd walk without of there bloated after a seven-course meal. on the other hand our focus is on teaching our pupils to monitor amounts. It's really a great eating experience."

Chef Travis won't hesitate to run over you how much he be pleased withs his job. "I enjoy the feed business, and I get to work with an really great people. I'm high-strung of the impact I've had onward the training school, and seeing folks learn how they can surpass makes it all worth it. forward top of that, I've had the opportunity to travel all through the world doing what I delight in to do. Sometimes it amazes me that I'm to such a degree lucky to be living this life."

COPYRIGHT 2003 PRIMEDIA Intertec, a PRIMEDIA Company. All Rights Reserved

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group