Chef Trevor Hamilton C.C.C. Media Articles

Guest chef brings culinary inspiration to the fleet BY KRIS GRANT March 2, 2000 Long gone are the days when seafaring men chewed the fat -- an expression popular in the 19th century, when salted beef was a shipboard staple and a sailor would chew one chunk for hours, as if it were chewing gum. Today, the U.S. Navy arguably has the best food service of any branch of the military, and meals served aboard ship have risen to the standards of some of the nation' s finest restaurants. Or so says Trevor Hamilton, a Canadian chef who has no direct ties to the U.S. Navy, except for two memorable stints as a mentor to mess specialists aboard four San Diego-homeported ships. To heighten the skills of its cooks, the Navy has been recruiting executive chefs from restaurants throughout the United States and Canada to adopt a ship. The chefs volunteer to work aboard a ship for a minimum of two weeks.

They are permitted to assume command of the galleys, and they work side by side with Navy mess specialists. Hamilton, 46, executive chef of the Coach House restaurant at Dundurn Castle in Ontario, was one of the first chefs inducted into the 2-year-old nationwide program. He and several of his fellow Canadian chefs are participating, working without salary and paying their own transportation to and from San Diego. "Trevor has a passion to share his knowledge and to learn," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Michael Gratton of the Navy' s Food Management Team in San Diego. "Moreover, his passion and pride for the Navy inspire those individuals he coaches." The jovial Canadian mixes lessons on the finer points of large-scale meal preparation with generous portions of camaraderie. He conveys in an affable way the mind-set that food preparation is as much about attitude as about ingredients, a spirited approach that won him a standing ovation at the end of his stint aboard his first adopted ship, the Shiloh.

His two weeks aboard the cruiser last summer was an emotional experience both for Hamilton and for his shipmates, who have since spread his reputation throughout the Navy' s food service management team. "I heard about Trevor and said, ' Hey, we need to grab this guy to go with us next time,' " said The Supply officer of the guided missile destroyer Decatur. And so in January, Hamilton returned to San Diego, serving as executive chef aboard the Decatur on the first leg of its Western Pacific deployment. He traveled aboard the ship to Hawaii, then flew back to San Diego to work aboard the aircraft carrier Constellation. He also conducted a seminar for land-based mess specialists at the 32nd Street Naval Station and visited the submarine Houston. Aboard the Decatur, 0800 hours, 05 Jan.: It' s three hours before the lines open at the Commodore' s Crown, the enlisted mess. There' s pork adobo to slice, sauces to prepare, carrots to cook, fish to bake and a serving line to dress up. Hamilton calls three mess specialists over to a 2-foot-deep steamer holding several pounds of sliced carrots. "OK, MS' s, how do you want to cook these carrots?" "Boil them in a little water," comes the reply, after one of the cooks checks his standard-issue recipe card.

All Navy recipes are printed on 6-by-9-inch cards, each recipe serving 100 portions. The same recipes are used aboard aircraft carriers and submarines, and cooks multiply or divide to obtain the needed portions. Menu items rotate on a five-week cycle. The need for 100 portions is understandable; the Decatur' s crew of 320 requires 1,200 meals per day; on an aircraft carrier with a full crew of up to 5,000, more than 15,000 meals a day are served. "What do you say we steam these carrots in a little butter," suggests Hamilton. "Give ' em a little more flavor, eh? We don' t need to worry about them burning because they' ll give up their own juices as they steam. We just need to stir them occasionally and keep our eye on them, eh? "Now, how about spices -- what should we use?" he asks the somewhat surprised mess specialists. Was Hamilton telling them they could improvise on the standard recipe cards? Did they really have permission? "Well, how about we use some tarragon, eh? And a little nutmeg, too, ya' think?" he suggests, nudging them along. "So that' s our choice this time. But you cook carrots a lot, don' t you? Well, what could we do different for next time? Yeah, right! Some dill. Or how about some mint? Coriander? Swell!"

The ideas continue to pour out, some from the mess specialists, some from Hamilton -- carrots with cloves, with cinnamon, mace, allspice. "How about adding some dried cranberries for flavor and color?" Hamilton asks. "Variety is the spice of life and makes every food presentation a new experience. "That' s what it' s all about, shipmates. It' s about passion, about wanting to create your very best. I can' t teach you passion. I can' t teach you creativity. It must come from within you. I can only guide you in techniques. Only you can harness your passion." All eyes are glued on Hamilton as he embraces the young cooks with his words, his gestures and his gusto. And while saying he can' t teach them passion, he does just that. He tells them how good they are and how fortunate they are to be in the Navy. They should have pride in their work; they' re cooking for their friends, their families, in one sense, whom they' ll be with 24 hours a day on a small ship in a big ocean for the next six months.

What an honor it is for them to be able to share the gift of gastronomy with their friends, he tells them. As the galley steamers heat up, so too does the enthusiasm of the cooks for their work. They like this guy. They feel good about themselves. They feel pride -- Navy pride. "These cooks work so hard, and they don' t know how good they are," says Hamilton, shaking his head. "I told them they were as good as any cook in the civilian world. "Civilians don' t have to contend with sudden loss of lights, or orders of ' This is a drill, this is a drill,' when all cooks suddenly don gas masks. They don' t have to worry about their pans suddenly sliding to one side of the room." 32nd Street Naval Station Commissary, 0900 hours, 23 Jan.: Hamilton is about to conduct a seminar for land-based mess specialists. A flat-top haircut, "sure to get a rise out of my wife back home," has replaced his regular civilian-longish hair. Chef Hamilton has just completed a week aboard the Decatur. "We worked around the clock," he says. "We' d get up at 4 a.m. when it' s pitch dark out, especially in the middle of the ocean, to prepare breakfast.

Then it' s time to clean up, get lunch started, clean up, start dinner preps, serve, clean up. And, after that, it' s time to do the break-outs, meaning place the order for all the food to be brought up from the supply room to cook the next day' s meals. "Then it' s time to prepare the mid-rats (midnight rations for crew members working the graveyard shift). Then, crash." Hamilton shakes his head, laughing. "Oh, here' s a good one," he says. "One morning I wake up, go seven ladders down, shower, dress and head for the galley. I' m asking myself, ' Where are all the MS' s?' Then I see the clock: it' s 1:30 a.m." Aboard the Constellation, 1100 hours, 26 Jan.: Hamilton and his mess specialists have just put the final touches on a practice-run buffet spread for an upcoming admiral' s luncheon. "Look at what these guys did. It' s a work of art," he says. "Look at that centerpiece, made from tomato rosettes and flowers carved out of turnips. Look how they arranged the crab, cracking the knuckles to free up all the meat in the center, the curried fruit with lemon dressing, the shrimp, the green beans with caraway seed, the asparagus. I' d stack up this display to any buffet; they did an outstanding job." But here' s what makes it all the more remarkable, he says: They prepared this entire meal cooking out of cauldrons, with steam and electric heat only. No gas ranges.

It' s the next to last day for Hamilton. "I' m beat," he confesses. "I can' t keep up with these young ones. Man, I don' t know how they do it. They work hard, you know? Yeah, they work hard. "I' d hire a Navy cook over a civilian cook every time. They work an 18-hour day, and the paperwork they fill out is incredible. At the Coach House, I estimate what I' ll need for a month and order it; then check the inventory at the end of the month. If I run low on something, I just call and get it the same day. These guys inventory the portions eaten of every item served at every single meal. Incredible." Another thing that sets Navy cooks apart is the level of sanitation they must maintain, Hamilton says. "The Navy has a saying, ' If you can lean, you can clean,' and you haven' t seen clean until you've seen Navy clean. I could perform surgery in any Navy galley; they' re that clean." One day on the Constellation, The ship' s commanding officer, did a follow-up inspection of the galley, Hamilton recalls. "Armed with a flashlight, he climbed up to inspect the top of the refers (refrigerators), and when he found streaks -- not dirt, mind you, but streaks -- he ordered a complete recleaning of the entire area."

The Navy has good reason behind its fanatical urge for cleanliness, explains the Decatur' s Supply Officer. "The Navy' s mission calls for its personnel to be combat-ready at all times. A case of food poisoning on board a ship could easily put a third of its crew out of commission." When Hamilton returned home to the Coach House, he told his dishwashers they were going to have a Navy sanitation field day. "That' s where you start at the ceiling and scrub everything down. If it moves, salute it, and if it does not, clean it," he says, noting that these sanitation days occur weekly on board ship. Return engagement Hamilton has been invited back aboard the Constellation for a longer tour, this time going out to sea aboard the carrier. And he will rendezvous with the Decatur later this spring for a special celebration at a foreign port (details are classified).

Why does Hamilton do it? Don' t ask, unless you' re prepared for him to get a bit misty-eyed. "How many civilians do you know who get to cruise to Hawaii on a warship? Along the way, the crew spots a school of ahi, and next thing you know, we' re fishing off the fantail. Ever attend a ' steel beach' barbecue on a flight deck? Great fun. "I witnessed pulling away from the dock in San Diego as the crew of the Decatur left on her first Western deployment. I was emotionally touched observing the send-off among family, friends and loved ones. It was very special to watch some of the senior personnel care for the younger first-timer deployers and take them under their wing. "If I were a chef here in San Diego, I' d adopt three ships . . . and I' d work with them year after year," Hamilton says. "Each time I' ve worked with the talented men and women, I' ve learned more than I' ve taught.

But make no mistake, it' s hard work, eh ?" San Diego' s restaurant community is already climbing aboard the Adopt-a-Ship program. Jon Palsson, executive chef of the Hilton San Diego Del Mar, plans to board an aircraft carrier this April. Brett Lewis, executive chef of the San Diego Convention Center, has adopted the Essex, an amphibious assault ship, working aboard the ship and bringing some of the mess specialists to work at the center. Interested chefs may call the Navy Food Management Team at (619) 556-5649. Kris Grant is a Coronado writer. 10 tips from the galley During his stay on the Decatur, Canadian chef Trevor Hamilton gave Navy mess specialists lots of tips, encouraging them to sample their sauces, advising them to season to their own taste, and sometimes patting them on the back.

Hamilton' s advice to the mess specialists included the following: The key to adding seasoning is, you can add more but you can' t take any out, so always adjust seasoning at the end of cooking. You don' t need to season big joints of meat such as prime rib. Adding salt and spices to the meat before roasting only penetrates the first quarter inch. Focus on the sauce. Don' t overcook meat. Cook it to rare, cover it with sauce, and finish it in the oven. Use an acidic ingredient as a salt substitute. Hamilton prefers lime juice because it is not as sharp as lemon. Defrost frozen vegetables, then warm them in a low-temperature oven for only a few minutes. You' ll retain more nutrients, color, flavor and crispness. When cooking pasta, if you don' t plan to eat it right away, it is not necessary to add oil and salt while cooking. The oil floats on top of the water, but the pasta is down below. Salt is useless if you plan to refresh the pasta in cold water -- everything is washed away.

So don' t waste your time. Food continues to cook after the heat is turned off, and food started in cold water starts to cook as the temperature rises. The rule for proper cooking of vegetables: Anything that grows above ground is to be started in boiling water; anything that grows below ground is to be started in cold water. Let all soups and stews and most sauces (an exception is hollandaise) stand overnight in the refers (Navy talk for refrigerators) to allow the flavors to bloom. Never salt meat before cooking; it draws out the moisture. To make perfect hard-boiled eggs, put them in cold water and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the water starts to boil. Let stand till they are cold. Dark circles around the yolks of hard-boiled eggs result from sulfur in eggs that are overcooked.

	Adopt A Ship
	Chef's Links

Chef Profile

	Photos
	International Night

Guestbook

	COMSUBPAC
	Australia Chef Exchange

Click here For Chef Trevor's recent article in most recent food magazine.

Here are some Navy recipes that have been adapted to make more manageable amounts. They include chef Trevor Hamilton' s suggestions for seasonings and cooking techniques. Caribbean Chicken Breasts 10 servings 10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thawed if frozen 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 small piece of fresh ginger, chopped 1 tablespoon honey Juice of six limes Zest of one lime 1 ounce peanut oil Combine garlic, ginger, honey, lime juice, lime zest and peanut oil to create a marinade. Mix thoroughly. Pour over chicken breasts. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts on sheet pan. Bake about 20 minutes and check for doneness. (Push with finger and check the feel; if chicken is still springy, it' s not done. You can also check by the color of the juice, which should be clear, not pink.) Remove chicken from oven and serve. Hamilton' s notes: The standard Navy recipe used lemon juice and lemon rind, salad oil, garlic powder, crushed oregano and salt. "When out at sea, the Navy has to use powders and dehydrated foods instead of fresh to conserve space," he said. "But there are times in port when the fresh ingredients can be used, and I like the cooks to remember they have these options. I also like to get away from using salt all the time; it' s usually not necessary if your other seasonings are done properly."

1 cup diced onion (divided use)
Olive oil
1½ cups long-grain rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 lime leaf or bay leaf, or both
2 pounds ground beef, 20 percent to 30 percent fat
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Fresh thyme, chopped fresh ginger or chopped orange zest, optional
8 small to medium green peppers
4 cups Quick Tomato Sauce (see below)

Sweat 1/4 cup diced onions (cook in an oven-proof frying pan with a little olive oil at low temperature). Add rice and brown lightly while stirring. Add chicken stock and lime or bay leaf.  Cover and cook in oven 20 minutes at 350 degrees, remove and let cool.  At same time, fry beef with 3/4 cup diced onion, garlic, Worcestershire and your choice of seasonings: thyme, fresh ginger or orange zest. Drain well. Cool.

Combine pilaf and meat mixture. Do not overmix. Fill peppers, and place in roasting pan. Pour tomato sauce over top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake. Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Hamilton' s notes: The standard Navy recipe called for first blanching the bell peppers, then filling with the meat and rice, but Hamilton says that means you are essentially cooking the peppers twice, which can make them mushy. He also recommended making the rice in a pilaf-style, cooking in a chicken stock rather than boiling in water. He uses fresh rather than dehydrated onions. And he recommends adding a lime leaf or bay leaf for extra flavor.

2 medium onions
2 to 3 cloves garlic
Olive oil
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
5 or 6 basil leaves (purple is preferred), chopped
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Fresh lime juice

Dice onion and garlic and sweat to release flavor (cook in a little olive oil at low temperature). Add tomatoes, chicken stock and fresh chopped basil.  Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, then mix cornstarch with a little water and stir into the sauce. Continue to boil until thickened slightly. Adjust seasoning, using no salt, just lime juice.

Hamilton' s notes: "Sweat" means to cook ingredients in a small amount of fat without changing their color. If using the tomato sauce in the bell pepper recipe, keep it on the thin side.

Apple Pie
Makes an 8-inch pie

Pie dough for a single-crust pie
¾ to 1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1½ tablespoons flour
6 large, firm tart apples
2 tablespoons butter

STREUSEL TOPPING

1 ¾ cups flour
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
10 tablespoons butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line an 8-inch pie pan with the pie dough.

Hamilton' s notes: The Navy allows its cooks to add favorite recipes to the dining lineup. Hamilton says this apple pie, from An MS2 on the Decatur, is one of the best he has tasted, with an exceptionally flaky crust. "I wouldn' t change a thing," Hamilton says.

Basic Pie Dough
Makes crust for an 8-inch single-crust pie

Mix the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives. Combine lightly only until the mixture resembles coarse meal or very tiny peas: its texture will not be uniform, but will contain crumbs and small bits and pieces. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture, a tablespoonat a time. Mix lightly with a fork, using only enough water so that the pastry will hold together when pressed gently into a ball.

A few Pointers:  Trevor Hamilton works with petty officer 3rd class Edwin Javier aboard the Constellation.