Military TV, Television - Military Times

Service members to appear on Emeril special

Six service members are getting the chance to appear alongside Chef Emeril Lagasse as he whips up their recipes on the Food Network.

The service members — from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and National Guard — and their recipes were selected following a call for entries on the network’s Web site, according to cable channel spokeswoman Kelli Stich Mills.

On April 6, the military chefs will tape two shows with Lagasse slated to air June 29-30 at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

The first show, dubbed “Emeril’s Army-Navy Cook-off,” will feature Lagasse cooking winning recipes from the Army and Navy, while “Emeril’s Military Contest” will include Lagasse cooking Air Force, Marine and Coast Guard recipes.

According to Mills, the Army-Navy chefs won’t battle for a “best of” recipe title, but their culinary efforts “showcase the same determination and dedication in the kitchen as has been witnessed on the field during the legendary Army-Navy football games,” a network release said.

The network initially planned on producing one military special but “had too many great things to showcase” and split the special into two shows, Mills said.

Camera crews have visited bases to gather additional footage for the shows, Mills said.

The winners and their recipes

• Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Travis Smith, Headquarters, 19th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), South Korea: Fire-roasted red pepper soup with cilantro cream and grilled Cajun catfish.

• National Guard Spc. Andrew Ruga, 222nd Transportation Company, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait: Pecan-crusted chicken over field greens with caramel citrus vinaigrette.

• Navy Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Joseph Chiarelli, amphibious assault ship Tarawa, San Diego: Cedar plank salmon parmesan with Asian reduction sauce over julienned vegetables.

• Technical Sgt. Wesley Williams, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.: Rainbow fruit-stuffed pork tenderloin with fried cheddar grits and a blueberry coulis.

• Marine Col. Stewart Navarre, Camp Pendleton, Calif.: Combat steak.

• Coast Guard Food Service Specialist 1st Class Stacey Russell, Coast Guard Station New Haven, Conn.: Stacey’s pumpkin pie.

Discussion:

Whose recipe sounds the best? Do you have a better recipe?

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