10th MS brings best barbecue recipe

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Warm temperatures and blue skies made for a perfect setting for the quarterly Warrior Chef competition held at Sun Plaza Park on June 28 as 10 of Malmstrom's best chefs brought their barbecue recipes to the grill.

Representatives from the 10th Missile Squadron were Airman 1st Class Edward Hurtado and Airman 1st Class Kyle Murphy; from the 12th Missile Squadron were Senior Airmen Marvin Lat and Brady Robertson; from the 490th Missile Squadron were Senior Airmen Robert Reichensperger and Jamel Prevost; from the 341st Force Support Squadron were Staff Sgt. Celia Morse and Airman 1st Class Heather Parks; and from the 819th RED HORSE Squadron were Staff Sgts. Jeanne Smith and Ernesto Roman-Cruz.

Teams had 90 minutes to prepare their barbeque meal. The secret ingredients, however, were thrown at them minutes before preparation.

"We couldn't pass up this opportunity to hold the competition outside because it's such a beautiful day," said Tech. Sgt. Brian Cool, 341st Operations Group chef superintendant. "Another twist we threw into the challenge was giving the contestants tri-tip steak as well as Maraschino cherries [for their secret ingredients]."

Judging the competition were Chief Master Sgt. Brian Hornback, Air Force Global Strike Command command chief, Ingrid Callahan, 341st FSS chief of the force development flight, and Jim Thul, formerly known as "Jim the Barber." Meals were judged on texture, creativity and originality, taste, appearance and plate presentation, honoring theme ingredients, and dress and appearance.

The 10th MS took home the coveted trophy for the first time. Their winning dish, barbecue turkey drumsticks, bacon with asparagus and garlic roasted tomatoes earned many compliments from the judges.

"The flavor just melts in my mouth and the tomato is so good," Callahan said.
This was Hurtado's second time competing and Murphy's first. Both competitors were humble and surprised of their win.

"I was a little shocked when I found out we won," Murphy said. "But everything turned out good and the tomatoes were very rich in flavor. I'm very appreciative and honored to take the trophy home."