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Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, U.S. Marine Corps
 Cpl. Gary E. Havner, Food Service Specialist with Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, was named 2011 Chef of the Year. The competition took place at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
The best Food Service Specialists compete each year in the Cherry Point Chef of the Year competition. Chef Havner was up against some tough competitors, but in the end won the First Place trophy for his Asian style meal, which featured sushi.
He credits his wife for teaching him how to prepare sushi, and his time spent in Japan learning how to do it well. Click here to read more about the competition…..
Chef Havner became interested in cooking when he was 14 years old while working at a seafood restaurant washing dishes and bussing tables in the dining room. Watching the cooks behind the line doing their jobs with passion made him want to learn how to cook. He eventually left that job and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2008 as a Food Service Specialist.
Working in the mess hall didn't make him appreciate cooking like he does today until he was offered an opportunity to attend a 6-week Pro-chef Certification Level 1 Course at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. After that experience, his perspective of food changed dramatically.
He enjoys cooking for the Marines who come into the mess hall looking for a meal just like "mama made." He cooks for his wife on a daily basis and cooks for his family when he goes on leave. Watching Food Network, reading cooking magazines, blogs, and observing fellow Food Service Specialist Marines have helped him become the cook he is today…..a winner!
Once his tour of duty ends in July 2012, he is planning to re-enlist in the Marine Corps. Cpl. Havner will be attending the Culinary Institute of America in New York as an award for his Chef of the Year victory at MCAS Cherry Point. Cpl. Havner has a bright future in the culinary field and we look forward to following his career.
Chef's Green Efforts
When he cooks at home, he tries to create new recipes and enjoys using his family's favorite recipes. He is beginning to explore farmers’ markets around eastern North Carolina. He recommends buying produce at a farmer's market because of the freshness and because he believes in shopping locally.
One of the biggest mottos in the mess hall is "clean as you go." It is a motto he lives by to insure food safety and sanitation. “Our leadership instills in us the desire to cook like we are cooking for our families and to take pride in what we do everyday”, says Cpl. Havner.
Chef's Recipe - Cream of Mushroom Soup
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