The U.S. Culinary Arts Team ... yes, there is such a thing ... faced an incredible challenge. The team had to cook 150 three-course meals in six hours without the benefit of a real kitchen. The crew had to work "in the field" – as the army calls being away from the plumbing, walls and heat of the barracks – which is never an easy task.

The IKA/Culinary Olympics, which occurred back in October, is where chefs come from 53 countries to vie for the top spot in categories such as community catering, regional and military. The civilians take advantage of state-of-the-art facilities, while teams in the military competition were shrouded in camouflage and fueled by propane.

Like any military operation, the team from the United States had rehearsed tirelessly, nailing down its menu.

Salad: seared tuna, smoked trout, and poached salmon over a seaweed salad

Entrée: herb-infused turkey breast with sweet potatoes, cranberry johnnycake, and bacon-wrapped green beans

Dessert: chocolate-mousse crunch cake with apricot-and-cherry sauce.

The military category consisted of 10 countries in total, including Hungary, Sweden, Germany and Slovenia.

The results? Our team finished a strong second, much to the surprise to anyone who has been assigned to Fort Sill, OK (trust me). The Swiss took top honors, and Great Britain shocked all by: (a) not finishing last and (b) serving something that the judges could actually taste.

[Via The Atlantic]

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