WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army continues its mission to modernize and revolutionize how it feeds its soldiers with a visit from Chef Robert Irvine, on July 26 at the Pentagon. Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 Lt. Gen. Heidi Hoyle - the Army's lead logistician - and several food-service personnel met with Irvine to discuss commercial industry best practices.

Irvine opened with a challenge, "Who is prepared, right now, to make a burger fit for the president?" Several immediately responded. "Now that is the kind of enthusiasm you should want to bring to the table every day," said Irvine. Heads nodded as the group hustled back into the kitchen to get down to business.

Hoyle and Irvine observed the Army culinary specialists preparing the kitchen ahead of the lunch rush at the Pentagon's dining facility. They assessed food-service operations and discussed recommendations and opportunities for improvement.

Hoyle said, "We are confident Chef Irvine will inject fresh, revolutionary ideas into the Army's food service operations, and my team will ensure efforts align with the latest commercial industry standards and technologies."

Irvine is serving as a special consultant to the Army's Food Program Modernization efforts in concert with Army senior leaders; Department of Defense and industry food-service partners; university dining experts; and soldiers for an enterprise-wide approach.

The message from soldiers is loud and clear: they prefer flexible meal options that are freshly prepared and easily accessible. Army leadership has recognized the need for change and are doing something about it. Hoyle adds, "We are committed to improving overall food service operations and incorporating feedback directly from soldiers across the whole of the Army."

As part of this strategy, the Army is now offering grab-and-go food kiosks and take-ahead, freshly prepped meals. Sixteen kiosks are currently in operation serving more than 665,000 meals between Oct. 2023 and June 2024 with 11 projected kiosks opening by fall 2025. Nineteen installations are participating in the Army Meal Prep Program, with more expected soon.

The Army Food Program Board of Directors is focused on exploring innovative, commercial industry strategies for implementation, while developing new Army food service business practices. The AFP Board met with Irvine at Fort Gregg-Adams, Jan. 2024, and anticipates continued dialogue throughout the modernization effort.

Motivated by his previous military service as a British Royal Navy cook, Irvine has traveled around the world volunteering his culinary expertise to the DoD for more than a decade. Because of his historic support of the DoD, he was the natural choice for this unpaid, special-advisory role. Irvine is no stranger to the rigors of military kitchen life, and regularly volunteers his time to provide advice to culinary specialists across the U.S. military services.

"I just visited Fort Liberty and met with the (culinary specialists) working miracles and churning out meals with limited food products and crazy schedules," said Irvine. "The food we're providing our soldiers is fuel that powers them through their rigorous and demanding schedules. If we're not providing soldiers with quality, appetizing and desirable meal options that are easily accessible, they're going to go somewhere else."