MAFB chefs bring home award

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Cortney Paxton
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Team Malmstrom chefs were feeling the heat this past February as they were being evaluated for this year's Hennessy Trophy awards. The Hennessy Trophy awards, marking their 56th anniversary this year, are presented to the installations, Air Force-wide, with the best food-service programs.

The Hennessy award evaluators left Malmstrom in February with visions of hard work, exceptional teamwork and well-prepared food in their minds. These qualities, portrayed throughout the chefs both in the dining facility and missile complex, paid off for them as Malmstrom Air Force Base was awarded the special award of Air Force Global Strike Command Best Missile Feeding Operation, April 6.

"The Best Missile Feeding Operation [award follows] AFGSC's annual assessment of the food service provided in the missile field," said Tech. Sgt. Brian Cool, 341st Operations Group chef superintendant. "It provides an opportunity for bases to compete [against each other] and to recognize individuals and good food practices. Food operations are evaluated in the areas of food production, serving and dining operations, training, personnel and readiness, facility sanitation, repair and maintenance, management and mission support operations."

Malmstrom's chefs take pride in maintaining a healthy and tasteful food service reputation; receiving this command-wide award is just one way to prove it.

"Our chefs provide top-notch service day in and day out to nuclear operations," Cool said. "To be crowned as the best missile feeding operation within Air Force Global Strike Command instills a sense of pride in our people that is well deserved based on their efforts."

Along with the best missile feeding operation, one member of Team Malmstrom was nominated to receive the Hennessy Travelers' Association Award of Excellence.

Staff Sgt. Kimberly Cockrell, 341st Force Support Squadron dining facility shift leader, was chosen out of all of Malmstrom's food services Airmen to represent the base during the presentation of the Hennessy awards, which will be in Chicago May 4-5 during the National Restaurant Association Show. The winner of the HTA award will be announced at this event as well.

"I'm just amazed that I was picked to represent the base and thankful that I have this opportunity," Cockrell said.

Although having the best missile feeding operation in all of the command is a prestigious award alone, next year's sights are set on the Air Force-level Hennessy award.

"The ever-present mentality of 'never stop improving' flows through our daily operations," Cool said. "This is a trophy [promoting] that we are not going to give up without a fight."