Chefs from around the Fort Lauderdale area teamed up with culinary specialists aboard ships participating in Fleet Week Port Everglades to prepare meals for command leadership and local dignitaries.

The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) hosted chefs Alex Kuk and Diego Ng, co-owners of Temple Street Eatery. The chefs brought ingredients from their restaurant and enlisted the help of the ship's crew to prepare an elaborate meal.

The team prepared rib-eye steak with an avocado cream sauce and a signature beet salad with pickled beets, goat cheese and sesame dressing.

Kuk was impressed with the capability of the Kearsarge crew.

"It's amazing to see a group of people that come on a boat and start working for the same goal to feed the entire team," said Kuk. "Their hard-work ethic is something that is lacking in the civilian sector, and us as business owners would love to have more of that hard work and pride on our own team."

Despite being aboard a warship, the chefs were not at all limited by Kearsarge's facilities.

"This kitchen is actually a lot bigger than our own restaurant's kitchen," said Ng. "Just to be in an environment like this felt really great."

Those lucky enough to have a seat at the gourmet meal were not the only beneficiaries of the chefs' expertise. Kearsarge culinary specialists gained valuable experience working alongside them.

"It was cool working with them," said Culinary Specialist 1st Class David Tiberio. "They taught us some things like knife skills and the bear claw technique. It's a way of cutting and dicing that protects your fingers. Chef said that eventually you don't even have to look down, but I'm not there yet."

Fleet Week Port Everglades provides an opportunity for the citizens of South Florida and visitors to meet nearly 2,000 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as see, firsthand, the latest capabilities of today's sea services.

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For more news from USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), visit www.navy.mil/.