The Hap Arnold Club pitted its cooks against each other in a “Top Chef” competition Nov. 15. In this Air Force Reserve Command-wide competition, the chefs are given four surprise ingredients and a cooking technique to produce a dish within a 45-minute time limit. Then, they present their dish to the judges who rate their dish on presentation, taste, texture, creativity and use of ingredients. Here, Nam Dodson, Hap Arnold Club head cook, adds some wine to create a glaze for one of her pork dishes.
Federico Ramirez, Back Street Cafe cook, prepares a sauce for a pork dish he prepared Nov. 15, 2011, during a chef competition at March Air Reserve Base, Calif. Cooks were given four ingredients, a specific cooking method and 45 minutes to prepare a dish. (U.S. Air Force photo/Linda Welz)
Federico Ramirez, Back Street Cafe cook, presented his finished plate of pan roasted pork with mashed potatoes, to March Top Chef judges, Nov. 15, 2011, at March Air Reserve Base, Calif. Cooks were given four ingredients, a specific cooking method and 45 minutes to prepare a dish. (U.S. Air Force photo/Linda Welz)
A panel of judges from March Air Reserve Base, Calif., are served pork dishes by Hap Arnold Club head cook, Nam Dodson at round one of a Top Chef competition Nov. 15, 2011. Dodson is a repeat competitor in the contest. Judges are Lt. Col. Brice Middleton, 912nd Air Refueling Squadron commander, Tech. Sgt. Javier Murillo and Master Sgt. Christopher Jugas, 452nd Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Linda Welz)