Professional TV chef visits Academy

  • Published
  • By John Van Winkle
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs --  Professional chef Carla Hall, the cohost of the daytime TV cooking program "The Chew," visited the U.S. Air Force Academy June 23 to give a dozen cadets a cooking lesson in Mitchell Hall.

Hall's visit was part of a United Service Organization tour at local military bases, where she gave cooking lessons and tips to Airmen and soldiers in the Pikes Peak Region.

Her first lesson at the Academy took the cadets by surprise: no recipe.

"I know you're military. You're all about checklists," she said. "Well, cooking isn't really about checklists and recipes. I'm going to give you ratios."

Hall's lesson concentrated on cooking ratios and techniques.

"It's really about knowing cooking techniques and your palate," she said. "Do you want it to be spicy, or don't you? Do you want it to have tarragon or Dijon mustard, or don't you?  I want you to be involved in the creation of your meal."

On Hall's menu was a Dijon tarragon chicken with a small salad and vinaigrette.

"You can use any spice," she said. "I want to teach cadets the technique to sear chicken and put different condiments on it."

Hall and the cadet chefs received a healthy assist from several of Mitchell Hall's top employees. Tommie Jones, Roxanne Baker and Kiem Guffin prepared the dining area for the lesson with other Mitchell Hall staff and shared their expertise the cadets.
  
"When the cadets go home or on leave or vacation, hopefully what I teach them will give them the skills and simple techniques needed to start them on the road to being great at cooking," Hall said.