Holloman chefs work nights to provide morning pastries

  • Published
  • By Airman Samantha S. DeVries
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho (ACCNS) --  Sweet aromas of fresh-baked cakes, biscuits and cookies fill the air in the Wagon Wheel Dining Facility. But these treats aren't ready to eat just yet. After all, it isn't lunch or dinner time. It's 2 a.m., and the ovens are still running as they do here every night.

Much like the fairy-tale elves who worked late into the night to help a shoemaker create works of art for his customers, the chefs from the 366th Services Squadron work late hours to provide Airmen delectable treats.

Senior Airman Tommey Fushi, a chef with the 366th SVS, pours banana cake batter into pans as the oven preheats knowing other Airmen may be sleeping or enjoying a game of poker in their off-duty time. Meanwhile, he prepares pastries for the next day. He admitted most people who eat at the dining facility don't know how their food is prepared, or better yet, when.

"Most of the baking is done on the night shift from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.," said Staff Sgt. Christopher Souphom, a shift leader with the dining facility.

Airmen work on the night shift for three months at a time before they rotate out to another shift, he said.

Sergeant Souphom said he tries to place experienced chefs on this shift to increase efficiency and train newcomers.

Senior Airman Tommey Fushi is one of those chefs.

"Originally, I didn't want to be in pastry, but now that I'm in it, I'm starting to learn that it's another aspect of the kitchen, and it makes me more well-rounded," he said.

"I'm learning that it's an art. You can't rush through it; you can't take shortcuts," Airman Fushi added. "You have to follow the recipe card. Even if you're off a little bit or if you put too much of something in, it could go bad or turn out wrong."

The Air Force uses standardized recipe cards to keep meals identical at all dining facilities around the world.

"Baking is harder than regular cooking. When you bake, once you put things in the oven, you can't bring it back; you can't add anything," the sergeant said. "Once you mix it up, pan it and put it in the oven, if you realized you missed an ingredient, it's too late. In cooking, you can add more stuff as you go. It makes baking more challenging."

The pastry crew moved to the night shift about a year ago, Sergeant Souphom said. The staff found it more feasible to bake at night versus trying to finish it during the day because there are fewer interruptions. It gives chefs more time to create high-quality, presentable foods, he added.

"By baking at night, it will be fresh in the morning," he said.

It's a challenge to deal with customers and co-workers while preparing meals, Airman Fushi explained. "Many people don't realize the work we put in to make the food fresh and presentable."

The chefs in the 366th SVS will continue to work while others sleep to prepare a variety of breads, cakes, cookies and other treats for the Airmen who visit the dining facility each night. Because when these troops awake, they'll find special treats waiting for them to enjoy.