I Corps Culinary Specialists Compete for Tactical Chef of the Year

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. — Soldiers from across I Corps put their culinary skills to the test during the I Corps Tactical Chef of the Year competition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Sept. 10, 2026. The competition brought culinary specialists together for a tactical cook-off designed to evaluate their ability to prepare and present meals while operating in a field environment. Competitors represented organizations across I Corps, including the 593rd Corps Sustainment Command, and competed for recognition as the Senior Chef of the Year and Junior Chef of the Year. Beyond determining who would advance to the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) Chef of the Year competition, the event provided Soldiers with a vital opportunity to master warfighting tasks critical to future Army missions while fostering professional pride. “Competitions and training like this enhance our Soldiers by refamiliarizing them with their field equipment in a low stress environment,” said Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Sullivan, the tactical field readiness senior instructor. “Whereas normally they’d be under pressure, expected to perform and provide hundreds of servings of food for their unit, this is a more technical exercise.” Throughout the competition, Soldiers demonstrated culinary techniques while preparing dishes from mobile culinary units known as assault kitchens. Competitors worked against time constraints before plating their meals and presenting them to a panel of judges for evaluation. The event challenged the competitors’ technical abilities while also creating an environment where culinary specialists from different units could interact and represent their organizations. “This year we really wanted to look ahead and prepare 92 Golfs [Culinary Specialists] for what is coming,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Maylin Davis. “Usually, we would compete from a garrison environment or a dining facility kitchen, but the assault kitchens have been identified as the primary platform that will be utilized to fight in large scale operations.” The competition included Soldiers assigned to units throughout I Corps, giving participants an opportunity to showcase skills developed through their daily duties and training. From preparing ingredients in field conditions to presenting finished dishes to judges, competitors were required to demonstrate attention to detail throughout each stage of the event. The Tactical Chef of the Year competition also allows Army culinary specialists to test themselves against their peers while highlighting the role food service professionals play in supporting Soldiers in both garrison and operational environments. At the conclusion of the competition, the top-performing Soldiers, Staff Sgt. Railey Rakin and Spc. Kevin Henderson, received recognition in the junior and senior categories. Staff Sgt. Rakin and Spc. Henderson went on to represent I Corps in the U.S. Army Pacific Chef of the Year competition, where they competed and emerged as the victors.

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