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Annual Culinary Competition Gives Goodwill Great Lakes Staff a Chance to Gain Valuable Training

Posted by Goodwill Staff on June 30, 2022

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Winning the Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC) Culinary Competition isn’t just about the bragging rights, though that is high on the list. The annual 4-day event hosted this July at Naval Station Great Lakes in Great Lakes, Illinois, allows Goodwill employees and culinary specialists from around the world to receive hands-on training that they can use beyond the classroom.

What is the CNIC Competition?

The CNIC Competition is a culinary arts competition for shore-based Navy Galleys. After taking a two-year break due to COVID-19, this is the eleventh year of the CNIC competition and the seventh year that Naval Station Great Lakes will host.

This year, seven teams consisting of three team members from Navy Galleys across the U.S. and overseas will participate. The Goodwill Great Lakes team is the only civilian team that competes. The other competing teams are Enlisted Culinary Specialists.

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What is the competition like and how do you win?

During the competition, participants are assigned their own workstation and are allotted 2.5 hours to create a menu, cook, and present a two-course meal divided into six portioned-out plates per course. Participants also receive a market basket which consists of a mixture of ingredients that must appear in one of the two final dishes. They have access to a shared kitchen, a library of spices, and a pantry of other ingredients to use in their final dishes.

Then, one by one as the courses are completed, teams present their creations to a panel of guest judges. The judges will rate teams on their food safety and sanitation, organizational skills, work habits, utilization of ingredients, cooking skills and craftsmanship, portion size, taste, and presentation.

Based on the highest number of points issued, there is a first, second, and third-place winner. For those that compete, it is an intense but rewarding experience. Anna, former competitor and Assistant Manager of Food Service Operation at Goodwill Great Lakes notes, “When I got to compete, it gave me so much adrenaline. There is a lot going on and you need to be on your toes and focused at all times. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot, especially about food presentation.”

What type of culinary training do participants receive?

Prior to the competition, all teams take part in a three-day workshop that includes team-building exercises, mock competitions, and a variety of demos on topics like basic knife cuts, plate presentations, nutrition lectures, and much more. “The final competition is just a piece of the event. Participants receive over 24 hours of classroom education. We tailor the training to things participants can take back to their land-based operations and into the future,” says Eric, Goodwill Great Lakes Assistant Director Galley. “It is an incredible opportunity for competitors to learn how to be a chef and cook meals at an exceptional level.”

Interested in joining our Goodwill Great Lakes team? Check out our exciting career opportunities and apply today!

Written by Goodwill Staff

WISCONSIN
Mission Support Center
Tel: (414) 847-4200

James O. Wright Center forWork & Training
Tel: (414) 353-6400

ILLINOIS
Metropolitan Chicago -
Administration
Tel: (312) 994-1440