The Founders Inn hosted the 7th annual Best of the Mess 2017 competition Jan. 27 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Several commands participated in the masquerade-themed party which benefited the Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund.

The party brought together commands including amphibious dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 66), aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), Naval Station Norfolk, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, and Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex.

The command teams competed against each other in a culinary cook-off to see who had what it took to be the best of the mess, and each received a list of certain ingredients they were allowed to use in creating their menu.

"The ingredients were green or black tea, chicken thighs, nappy cabbage, carrots, turnips, and nectarines," said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Elizabeth Zannone, assigned to Naval Station Norfolk. "We also needed to stay within the safety guidelines, such as sanitation."

Along with the cook-off challenge, there was also a large silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, and several different ways to donate to the Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund.

Attendees voted along with a panel of judges including Suzette Johnson, Culinary Institute of Virginia; Chief Culinary Specialist Gary Askins; Jason Lord, Culinary Institute of Virginia; Steve Ludwig, Geico; and Gregg Pratt, USAA Military Affairs.

The lights were dimmed in the ballroom and each table had a centerpiece of black vases and masks, but each station was also responsible for their own decorations, theme, and display. Not only were the commands judged on the recipes they created, they were also in a competition for the best decorations.

Each command had a main team of three culinary specialists, ranging in rank from seaman to first classes. They were also able to have as many assistants as they needed.

"My team was awesome, practice was hard because everyone has their regular job, but we stayed late and everything came through," said Zannone.

The winners were announced toward the end of the evening. Abraham Lincoln won best display, coming in at third place for the Best of the Mess. Naval Station Norfolk won second place, and Gonzalez were the first place winners in the Best of the Mess.

"It was awesome; it was the first time I have attended this event," said Naval Station Norfolk Command Master Chief Marc Puco. "The Naval Station Norfolk culinary specialists did a great job and represented the base very well."

All the proceeds from the event benefit The Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund, which is supported solely by charitable donations. Scholarships are available to the spouses and children of CPOs. Those interested in participating can visit http://www.cposf.org for specific requirements and to download an application.

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

For more news from Naval Station Norfolk, visit http://www.navy.mil/.