With a frying spatula in one hand and a ladle in the
other, the soldiers don their aprons over their new pixelised
combat uniform as they psyched themselves up for a challenge of a
different kind.
Known as the "flying chefs", these men from the Singapore Armed
Forces (SAF) help satisfy the hunger pangs of hundreds of soldiers
who are away on overseas deployment.
Corporal (CPL) Muhammad Faizal Bin Abd Raman who reckons his best
dish is nasi goreng kampung or fried rice in
kampung style, finds that his love for cooking has served
him well.
"You have to love cooking before you can cook for four to five
hundred soldiers. Without the love for cooking, you can't cook
well," said the supply assistant.
These trainees undergo a three-week Basic Food Handling Course
where they learn to cook simple dishes in small servings. They also
learn about the basics of working in the kitchen including kitchen
safety, food preparation, and personal hygiene.
This is followed by a six-week Enhanced Catering Course where they
are equipped with the skills of bulk cooking and are imparted the
product knowledge of ingredients as well as being taught proper
food storage.
However, not all supply assistants get the chance to attend the
Enhanced Catering Course.
Only those who show commitment, interest, and who demonstrate
exemplary performance and excellent conduct are selected to attend
the course based on their superiors' recommendations.
Conducted twice a year, the Enhanced Catering Course only admits up
to six candidates during each intake, with four to five vacancies
already filled by the Food and Beverage managers from various SAF
cookhouses each time.
For "flying chef" CPL Iman Bin Zailan, who returned from a
three-week overseas deployment, he derives an immense sense of
achievement from his job.
"When you cook in the jungle, you can feel that the atmosphere is
something different. It's a once in a lifetime activity and even
though it's quite tiring, at the end of the day, we are appreciated
by the soldiers for the fresh rations," shared the supply assistant
from Supply Hub (East).
"The troops were so happy, they asked for extra food!"
Once deployed overseas, the "flying chefs" have the Mobile Field
Kitchen and the Mobile Field Refrigerator at their disposal when
outfield.
Working in pairs, they need no more than 30 minutes to deploy and
operate both equipment.
With the diesel-driven Mobile Field Kitchen, which allows for
stir-frying, grilling, boiling, baking and the like, the chefs can
cook simple dishes for between 250 to 300 soldiers (or the size of
one company) within two hours.
The Mobile Field Kitchen is complemented by the Mobile Field
Refrigerator comprising two freezers and two chillers which allow
for food and rations storage of up to three days.
Indeed, the role of the "flying chefs" in ensuring that troops
operate at their optimum while on overseas missions like
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations, cannot be
underrated.
"When our soldiers are deployed overseas, without me and the other
chefs, the soldiers would have nothing to eat so it's really
important for us to be there. After their training, the soldiers
are tired and hungry. The hot meals that we prepare for them will
boast their morale," explained CPL Faizal, who completed his
Enhanced Catering Course last month.
Currently, there are a total of 30 certified "flying chefs" in the
SAF, who help ensure soldiers get served piping hot food no matter
where in the world they may be.