Every day, the food service team aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) (GHWB) works long hours to provide food for more than 4,500 Sailors. Their job brings morale and nourishment to the high speed environment of a deployment.

Celebrity chef Robert Irvine visited with the team during a United Service Organizations (USO) tour aboard GHWB to remind them of how important their job is to the mission.

With more than 27 years in the culinary profession, Irvine has cooked his way through Europe, the Far East, the Caribbean and the Americas. He has hosted multiple successful cooking shows, such as the Food Network series "Restaurant: Impossible," where he saves struggling restaurants across the U.S. by assessing and overhauling their shortcomings.

Irvine stressed the importance of food service during his talk and emphasized the need for positivity and drive among Navy cooks, especially while on deployment.

"If you have ideas, don't be afraid to voice those ideas to the right person," advised Irvine. "It might change something for the better."

Irvine reiterated the galley is one of the biggest morale boosters. When Sailors call home to their families, one of the things they always mention is the food. It is a crucial part of life and deployment.

"It does not matter where you cook," he continued. "There are very expensive galleys out there that serve terrible food. What matters is the amount of passion and dedication you put into the job. There is very little that is necessary when it comes to making a good meal; and making a good meal can make someone's day."

This resonated with Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Jason Williams who has followed Irvine's work for more than 10 years.

"It's memorable to meet someone like him," said Williams. "I felt that we had a lot in common. We cook for the same reasons. We cook for the smiles on people's faces. He is busy, so having him spend time out here with us means a lot. It's nice to know that people care."

Culinary Specialist Seaman Gabriel Alva agrees that Irvine's visit was a huge boost to the culinary specialist's division because he reminded them how much of a difference they make.

"From hearing what he had to say, I feel that my job is a lot more important than what people think it is," said Alva. "We really do carry the morale on the ship. If we cook a Sailor's favorite item right, it brings light to their day."

GHWB, part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group, is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

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