SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Airman 1st Class Precious Avent poses with her finished cake at the Southern Eagle Dining Facility here, April 28, 2011. Airman Avent was recently awarded an opportunity to attend a culinary class at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone Campus in St. Helena, Calif. Airman Avent is a 4th Force Support Squadron services journeyman and hails from Henderson, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rae Perry)

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SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Airman 1st Class Precious Avent applies icing to a cake at the Southern Eagle Dining Facility here, April 28, 2011. Airman Avent said she enjoys baking and decorating pastries. Her dedication to her job earned her a spot in a culinary class at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone Campus in St. Helena, Calif. Airman Avent is a 4th Force Support Squadron services journeyman and hails from Henderson, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rae Perry)

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SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Airman 1st Class Precious Avent pours cake batter into a greased pan for baking at the Southern Eagle Dining Facility here, April 27, 2011. Airman Avent has worked as the head baker at the Southern Eagles Dining Facility for a year and said it's her favorite position in the kitchen. She has added seven new dessert items to the menu including her favorite, cake parfait. Airman Avent is a 4th Force Support Squadron services journeyman and hails from Henderson, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rae Perry)

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SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Airman 1st Class Precious Avent adds water to cake batter mixture at the Southern Eagle Dining Facility here, April 27, 2011. Airman Avent was selected as the Air Combat Command Hennessy Traveler and will attend a culinary class at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone Campus in St. Helena, Calif., because of her hard work and dedication to her job as well as a willingness to learn new things. Airman Avent is a 4th Force Support Squadron food services journeyman and hails from Henderson, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Rae Perry)

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SJ Airman takes the cake in ACC for Hennessy Traveler award

Published May 11, 2011
By Staff Sgt. Heather Stanton
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- A little sugar and a little spice make everything nice - especially for a food services Airman here whose baking skills landed her a trip to California as the Air Combat Command Hennessy Traveler.

Airman 1st Class Precious Avent, 4th Force Support Squadron food services journeyman, earned the opportunity to represent ACC at the Hennessy Traveler Award presentation in Chicago May 21 and attend the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, Calif., in September.

"Airman Avent is ambitious, proactive, hardworking, helpful and extremely talented," said Tech Sgt. Ayana Hodges, 4th FSS Southern Eagles Dining Facility assistant manager. "She was afforded this opportunity by excelling in her duties as a food service journeyman and exuding professionalism throughout the evaluation process."

The Hennessy Travelers Association came to the Southern Eagle Dining Facility in February to evaluate the hospitality of the staff and quality of the food. The facility earned the ACC Hennessy Award soon after the visit.

Airman Avent, a native of Henderson, N.C., joined the Air Force in August 2009. She has been working in the Southern Eagle Dining Facility as a baker since arriving here.

"I bake the breakfast pastries, the luncheon desserts, the bread - everything that needs to bake," Airman Avent said. "There are recipes I have to follow, but there is stuff I can add in."

Airman Avent hopes to improve her baking skills during her September trip to the Culinary Institute of America.

"This is a wonderful opportunity, as it allows her to grow as a food service professional while strengthening her passion and understanding for the culinary arts," Sergeant Hodges said.

Though Airman Avent enjoys baking at the dining facility, another aspect takes the cake as her favorite feature of the job.

"I enjoy making the customers happy about what they eat," she said. "Making it taste good."