DVIDS – News – Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine Inspires Airmen With Healthy Dinner and Cooking Demonstration

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACLAND, Texas — In an event aimed at promoting healthy and active lifestyles, more than 450 Security Forces Technical Training students had the opportunity to break bread with celebrity chef Robert Irvine and his team here, June 14 and 15.

Irvine and his corporate chefs not only served dinner to the Defenders of the 343rd Training Squadron on June 14, but they also attended the 331st Training Squadron’s Basic Military Training Graduation Parade and provided a cooking demonstration for a select number of Defenders in a from the installations catering June 15.

“He [Irvine] it’s all about being able to teach people how to provide healthy alternatives,” said Brig. Gen. Russell Driggers, JBSA and 502nd Airlift Wing Commander, during his opening remarks at Wednesday’s dinner. “We all know that the human body and human performance is based on the food you put in your body, and the better we can take care of ourselves, the better we can take care of our installations and our nation.”

Col. Lauren Courchen, commander of the 37th Training Wing, echoed the general’s comments and told defenders that “we have to start thinking about how we take care of this body as a function of personal responsibility as well as a function of readiness, so that each of us can get the food we need… the sleep we need… so we can stay focused on our mission and our family.”

Courchaine thanked Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Joan Bass for inviting the chef to the wing.

“She [Bass] wants to make sure that each of you has the skills, knowledge and education to be successful not only as advocates, but as individuals,” Courchaine said of CMSAF’s vision for members of the Air Force’s largest career field.

Known for his charismatic personality and dedication to promoting healthy eating habits, Chef Irvine wasted no time getting down to business on the diner. Within 30 minutes, he and 25 volunteer Airmen served up a specially prepared menu of pulled pork, leafy greens, smoked sausage and other options made with fresh, unprocessed ingredients.

Once seated, the chef made his rounds among the airmen, taking the time to personally interact with them and hear their stories. He also addressed the group to remind them of the importance of physical fitness and overall well-being in the military with a friendly push-up competition.

The following day, the head chef and his culinary team provided a hands-on cooking demonstration for additional Defender students who were unable to attend the previous evening’s event.

The demonstration, hosted at the 502nd Force Support Squadron Mesquite Dining Facility, gave Airmen practical tips on how to stay healthy and fit using ingredients readily available at installation stores. The chef encouraged audience members to try different spices and seasonings and taught them how to quickly prepare a healthy meal.

technical Sergeant Denise Goode and Staff Sergeant Selina Abril, both military training leaders from the 343rd TRS, were called to the front to conduct their own cooking demonstration.

The two airmen, whose main career field is in the service industry, were given a select number of ingredients and given a few minutes to prepare a healthy meal in front of an audience of 50 students.

Goode said it’s a great on-site opportunity that has helped them develop a different mindset that anyone can take simple ingredients from their pantry to easily make a healthy meal in minutes.

Irvine said Airmen learn a lot during training and have great mentors, but they need constant training on what’s good, bad and better when it comes to food.

“When you go to any Air Force base, you get great food. We always have room for improvement, but at least we have the basics; and the more we do that, the more changes we can make to bring great, healthy food to our military,” he added. “We have tanks and we have planes, but they don’t work without people like this and we have to take care of them.”

The two-day event was a collaboration between the 502nd FSS and 37th TRW mission partners and served as a reminder of the importance of physical fitness and overall wellness in the Army. Combining his culinary expertise with his commitment to a healthy lifestyle, Chef Irvine has left a lasting impact on Airmen, motivating them to make better choices when it comes to nutrition and exercise.

The Robert Irvine Foundation hosts “Breaking Bread with Military Heroes” at military installations across the country. As of May 2023, the foundation has served more than 18,400 service members at 20 events.