Just Desserts: Food service technicians at Travis are cookin' up sweet success

Airman, Dec, 2001 by Carie A. Seydel

As early as 4:00 a.m. the smell of cinnamon rolls fills the air at the Sierra Inn. While that happens at most dining facilities, it's doubtful the baker could say he's trained by the CIA.

They aren't spies, and these aren't covert goodies. The pastries are baked to warm the abdomens of airmen. And although this CIA dabbles in intelligence, it concentrates on trade secrets. That's because this CIA -- the Culinary Institute of America -- specializes in career development for food and hospitality professionals.

As cargo aircraft roar overhead, an oven the size of a walkin closet rumbles like a C-5 taking off. Its rotating racks keep the heat even. And its burn can be as startling as its roar.

"We use hot pads on our hands to close the door, but sometimes we forget the hot pad," Airman 1st Class Zaranda Porter said. Cocoa butter is kept handy for just that reason.

But the large oven is the reason when these airmen bake, they're really cookin' -- they can turn out almost 1,000 cookies per baking cycle.

But cookies aren't the only convectional confection mixed in the bakery. A large, red metal toolbox is home for hundreds of recipes used to create the almost 750 daily dessert servings. Working on a 14-day cycle, at least six different desserts are preplanned and rotated at the base dining facilities. There are usually two varieties each of cakes, pies and cookies available each day.

Confectionery perfection

At the week-long baking class, working side-by-side with world-class gourmet chefs, Porter explored beyond institutional food service preparation. She had the opportunity to work with various ingredients and recipes.

"Watching our instructor work was like watching a chef on television," she said. "I didn't really know what I was capable of before the CIA."

Attending the institute inspired Porter to explore ways to improve the presentation and appearance of her on-base goodies to create culinary masterpieces.

"It's not what I do, it's how I do it," she said. "I really enjoy and take pride in what I create."

Sometimes she's so proud of her work that sharing it is only semisweet.

"When I take a lot of time to get creative with the design I don't want anyone to cut it," confided Porter. "But when I hear someone compliment me, it makes me want to do more."

Although Porter started baking as soon as she could see over the kitchen counter, 18-year old Airman 1st Class Naisha Scott -- also a food service technician -- didn't have much time on the mixer when she swore into the service. Neither airman joined the Air Force to mix and measure, but both have found it rewarding.

"Once I started working the job, I knew it was the best job you could have," Porter said. "In services we get to do so many different things. It doesn't stop in the kitchen or the bakery."

Scott agreed there's more to the services career field than she expected. She likes that there's always variety in her job and that she's constantly challenged.

She and Staff Sgt. Tyria Valledor also attended the basic baking techniques class, perfecting croissants and pie dough. It's professional commercial experience far beyond the macaroni and cheese Scott prepared for her little brother as a kid in Chicago.

Flour power

Even seasoned food service professionals learn new skills at the CIA. Anthony "Tony" Taylor, food service work leader, has more than 20 years of food preparation experience under his apron, and more than 12 years of cooking for Travis airmen.

"I wanted to learn something that would always be in demand," he said. "People gotta eat -- so I decided to go into food service." He said he's been learning ever since.

When he attended the CIA basic bread baking class, he not only learned techniques for making different types of breads, but how to "feel" the texture of the dough. This was new for Taylor despite the fact he used to make 80 loaves of bread daily at the Travis hospital dining facility.

"We always used a mixer to combine the ingredients, so kneading was new to me," Taylor said. Although it would be difficult to apply a "hands-on" skill like kneading -- given the volume of food produced -- he planned to incorporate some of the techniques into daily operations.

Beyond lip service

Sharing his skills with new airmen like Porter and Scott has been the highlight of Taylor's career.

"A lot of 'em don't know their equipment. You get them in the kitchen, and they're lost," he said. "I get a lot of satisfaction teaching these airmen because I know training makes them better at what they do. I'm making a difference in someone's life on the job."

He compared his job to raising a family.

"You want to keep everyone in the kitchen happy and productive. I want everyone to look forward to coming to work, he said. "I'm firm and strict -- they know I'm the 'daddy' in the kitchen. The biggest challenge is keeping the family going."

He preaches that a clean kitchen is a happy kitchen, and daddy's not happy unless the kitchen is clean. But he knows there's never 100 percent satisfaction.

"You're not going to get a lot of compliments from your customer, but you know you're making a difference in their lives because they come in hungry and leave full," he said.