Veterans Day Offered Foodies A Chance To Make A Difference
This past Veterans Day, businesses and individuals across America found dozens of ways to honor the sacrifices and commitments made by military veterans and currently enlisted troops. While the usual fare of parades and festivities grabbed most of the headlines, there was also a large push by the restaurant industry to do its part in the celebration.
Deals for veterans
Hundreds of restaurants offered special deals to veterans and current members of the armed forces on Nov. 11, including several national chains. Anyone with a military ID or other proof of service (including wearing a uniform) was able to claim one of the deals at participating restaurants throughout the U.S.
The deals these restaurants offered served to highlight the good that can be done with the knowledge gained in an online cooking school or through an online baking program. Learning to become a better cook not only offers you the opportunity to make your friends and family happy, it also opens up career opportunities that could lead you to a position where you can spread that joy to hundreds or even thousands of strangers.
Active service members put on food show
At this year’s Taste for the Troops at the Fabulous Food show in Cleveland, Ohio, which was hosted by former White House chef Sam Morgante, some of the top chefs from the five branches of the armed forces faced off against each other in an Iron Chef-esque competition.
The goal of the show was to raise money for the Veteran’s Affairs facilities in Northeast Ohio, while also increasing public awareness of the growing number of veterans who are committing suicide.
“We wanted to raise recognition and make sure no veteran takes his life,” Morgante told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “It’s hard enough in war, but when you come home and you suffer from it and you take your life that way, that’s unacceptable.”
Celebrity chefs descended on the competition to act as judges, and the audience cheered on as the group of chefs – including Mark Veomett and Ghil Medina from the Air Force and Michael Hanford and Lynval Weise of the Navy – whipped up a huge variety of culinary delights.
The Air Force team took home top honors with its duck bacon, andouille sausage and shrimp soup topped with arugula, and a main plate of chicken with a duck confit complemented with a diced carrot and butternut squash saute.
The event showed how food and a good cause can come together to affect positive change in the community and country.
