Naval Base San Diego Galley Serves Meals Again

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The base galley served prime rib and lobster tail for its grand reopening as Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) celebrated its 91st birthday, Feb. 22.

The $6 million project took 13 months to renovate Mercer Hall by replacing equipment and adding new furnishings. During Mercer Hall's renovation, the Anchor's Club on NBSD served as the temporary galley.

"Let's celebrate our birthday with great food, camaraderie, as we stroll through our new galley," said Capt. Winton Smith, NBSD's commanding officer.

Outside Mercer Hall, the most prominent change is an outdoor cooking area and covered patio. The contractors also repaired planter walls, sidewalks and galley signs.

The seats were reupholstered, the walls were repainted, and the facility was remodeled, said Culinary Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Sherman Rabonza, who was stationed at the galley before the renovations started.

New ceramic tiles and carpet were laid down and the lights were upgraded to LEDs.

"They changed the VIP area. Before, it was just closed," Rabonza said, noting the addition of a drink bar and salad area.

Other major improvements included a new fire sprinkler system throughout the facility and a seating capacity increase to 400.

"We've added two new restrooms to the facility," said Chief Warrant Officer Robert Favela, Mercer Hall's food service officer.

The biggest change for the facility is behind the scenes, where the patrons will taste the difference, but not see it.

"Important upgrades for the new sculleries, electric kettles, and high-tech Cleveland ovens, which nobody has in the region," said Favela. "It does feel like a brand new facility to us."

"Right now, we have top-of-the-line ovens that you can't put on ships yet," added Culinary Specialist 1st Class (SW) Heath Edwards, Mercer Hall's leading petty officer.

Naval Facilities provided training to the cooks after installing the new galley equipment, to include operation of combination ovens.

The Navy is trying to introduce the new ovens into the fleet. They're American made, and everyone else in the fleet is using German ovens, said Favela.

Before the renovation, the galley was using standard convention ovens, and now it's equipped with a combination oven, said Rabonza. It uses steam and convention and the cooks have the option to choose between the two, he added.

Another capability the ovens provide is the ability to download a menu and program it, said Favela.

Culinary specialists can also program the oven to use a combination of both steam and heat to add crispiness to different foods like roast beef, said Edwards.

"I'm a fervent champion of anything that improves a Sailor's quality of life, and good food with do that," said Smith.

A Chief of Naval Operation initiative is to move away from premade food and make healthier choices from scratch, said Favela.

"For them, it's going to a positive push, because they will be doing what cooks do," he added. "We'll still be serving a 21-day cycle healthy menu, but hopefully it'll give us more flexibility to give a better product that isn't so saturated in preservatives."

"Vast, vast improvement," said Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Alexandra Damronlee, stationed with PCU Somerset (LPD 25), "If it's technological or management...whatever they're doing, I appreciate it."

"I'm surprised," said Gunner's Mate Seaman Emily McKinney, currently in C-school with orders to guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) "The cake is really good. I haven't had cake since I joined the Navy."

Navy cooks used to defrost a bag of premade and pre-seasoned food and were not able to add any flavoring or adjust the recipe before heating the dish up. Now the culinary specialists can start using their creativity and specialty to enhance the products served, said Favela.

The next step forward is to start partnering with military and civilian culinary schools, replicating what they're doing in the commercial side, said Favela.

"Our Sailors are out there and are executing the maritime strategy, day in and day out, keeping those shipping lanes free of piracy, taking down terrorist camps, providing humanitarian assistance or disaster relief. Our Sailors are motivated high- caliber professionals," said Smith, "It is only right to take care of those warfighters. They can have a place to come home to, and this galley is a piece of that."

Ships rehabilitating their galleys send their crews to be served at Mercer Hall, which also receives temporary duty Sailors from those ships.

"I got a lot of senior people, which makes it easier and a little more knowledgeable, but it allows us to do more training over here with our cooks," said Edwards. The culinary specialists will be able to step back onto the ship when their galley reopens without a delay in their skillset, he added.

The galley services between six to eight ships, three being the amphibious assault ships, at NBSD, and serve between 600-800 Sailors per meal.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.>