Page 44 - KRH Year of 2021 CREST

42 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
Catering Department
In light of all the challenges and uncertainty the pandemic posed this did not deny the catering department the opportunity to adapt and showcase their capability on how best to support the Regiment. This has proved that we as a trade can deliver our best in any circumstance. Our resilience and ability as a department to always find a way to produce excellent results whatever and wherever has been our primary goal throughout the year. This solidifies what an invaluable asset our trade is to the Regiment and the wider Army.
February saw SSgt St Jean, the Unit Catering Manager, deploy on Op ROSE to establish and provide the catering support to all service personnel deployed at the COVID 19 testing facility in Kent, cutting through the layers of red tape as SSgt St Jean and his team delivered the catering support required for the duration of the deployment.
Subsequently Cpl Ale and Pte Stubbs were selected to support Exercise WARFIGHTER which took place at Fort Hood in Texas. They were part of the catering cohort that had the task of feeding in excess of 1500 personnel split over 3 locations.
The month of April saw the department welcome three new chefs from the Food Services Training Wing. Privates Wilfred, Adams and Samuel arrived (although having the look of a bunch of rab- bits in very bright headlights) and they adapted very quickly to Regimental life as chefs and embraced every challenge presented showing great will and enthusiasm to learn, which really is a breath of fresh air to see.
May/June with COVID-19 protocols still in place only meant one thing. An opportunity for the department to complete all online MATTs and annual mandated CEG training to ensure the depart- ment was fully ready for deployment. This led to the depart- ment being split into teams working on a rotation to support the Regiment throughout this period.
June also saw the department provide first-class catering service in the field as part of 12 Brigade’s series of conceptual study activ- ity, feeding up to 150 personnel with a KRH Officers’ Mess stand- ard luncheon under the supervision of Sgt Lever and his team of chefs.
September saw the department provide catering support to Exercise IRON STORM 2/21. To mimic as closely as possible, a deployment of the LATF, including a period of activation and
a reduced notice to move, followed by force projection, training in theatre, conduct of operations and recovery. All of which saw the catering department deploy over three separate locations and provide sustained feeding throughout the different phases of the exercise.
In addition, with the operations, exercises, assignments, and trawls starting to trickle through the department’s resilience would soon be put to the test. The catering department losing Cpl Brunsdon and Cpl Ale on promotion and the subsequent period was testament of our resilience and our ability to stay true to our core values (We Sustain).
October yet again saw the catering department deploy on Exercise IRON STROM 2 this time in CATT where Sgt Lever, Cpl O’Brien, LCpl Barnett, and Pte Adams along with 12 Brigade catering support, were tasked to provide feeding from a field kitchen to support the KRH Battlegroup consisting of over 400 SP. A task which was delivered with aplomb.
November came with little to no rest for Pte Adams, which saw her on another detachment this time travelling to Germany on Ex STEADFAST LEDA 21 to provide catering support. This was a great opportunity to complete her field phase NVQ apprentice- ship qualification.
It was time for some promising news, Cpl Kemp was assigned to the Regiment, which couldn’t have come at a better time, as his presence and culinary skills are very refreshing and would be put to the test in the Combined Officers Mess.
The Regimental celebration of the 172nd rendition of The Battle of Ramnuggar came at the right time, with all hardship from the year, and long hours from every senior, it was time to let their hair down and get loose. This being another great opportunity for the department to showcase their culinary skills and talent, under the planning of Sgt Lever and the supervision of Cpl O’Brien, LCpl Barnett and the Mess staff, it was another successful function for the department.
Finally, December has always been referred to as silly season for the catering department. With the influx of Regimental com- mitments and functions, alongside Covid restrictions in was that time of the year for the department to flourish and showcase their full array of skills and catering knowledge. No doubt it will be more of the same in 22 – a task we will embrace.