Chef Shedrick Swain, U.S. Army chef, visited Lowndes High School recently to speak with students in Natalie Bishop’s Culinary Arts class about the opportunities and benefits of being a chef in the Army.  

An Army food service specialist is primarily responsible for the preparation and service of food in field or garrison food service operations, he said. The individual prepares all types of food according to standard and dietetic recipes, as well as ordering and inspecting food supplies and preparing meats for cooking.  

Chef Swain also explained the duties performed by soldiers in this job include performing preliminary food preparation procedures; preparing and/or cooking menu items listed on the production schedule; baking, frying, braising, boiling, simmering, steams and sautés as prescribed by Army recipes. The specialist is responsible for setting up serving lines, garnishing food items, and applying food protection and sanitation measures in field and garrison environments and ensuring proper procedures, temperatures, and time periods are adhered to during food preparation.

Swain is originally from Havana, Fla., and joined the Army in June 2000 as a food service specialist.  He has been stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga.; Camp Casey, Korea; Yongsan, Korea; Camp Humphreys, Korea and Tallahassee, Fla.

While stationed at Camp Humphreys, Korea, he was awarded the Philip A. Connelly Award for professionalism and excellence in food service personnel in Army Troop dining facilities and during field kitchen operations. 

He was awarded the Camp Best Dining Facility at Camp Casey, Korea, and has been named Food Service Specialist of the Month numerous times.