In the navy

I have never been aboard a ship. My closest encounter of it was through a childhood board game called Battleship, where logic and good judgment were needed to bring down your opponent’s defenses by sinking his miniature naval vessels. That’s why I found myself excited to check out the USS Blue Ridge, the flagship of the US Seventh Fleet. I received the invite courtesy of US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, Matthew Lussenhop, press attache of the US Embassy in Manila, to tour the historic naval ship when it docked here a couple of weeks back. I always wondered how the kitchen was manned in a ship, and now I got a first-hand account of what it was actually like!

It was around 8 a.m., the weather sunny but cool when I got to the Port in Manila, where the USS Blue Ridge was docked. I and my production crew, and my longtime friend Ben Go were welcomed by US Embassy information specialtist Agnes Caballa. Although security was tight, the personnel were very welcoming nonetheless.

And there I stood, in awe, in front of the biggest ship I’ve come into close view of. Well, it was the only ship I’ve ever laid my eyes on, and to think that this ship played a part in Filipino history makes it much more fascinating. You see, the USS Blue Ridge is the flagship of the US 7th Fleet, which formed a large part of the Allied Forces at the historic Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944 under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed US fleet, with 50 to 60 ships, 350 aircraft, and 60,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel.

And guess who heads the ship’s kitchen? None other than our very own, who hails from Manila. Felipe Tubera is called galley supervisor rather than the usual head chef. On an ordinary day, he and his team of culinary specialists, as they are called, feed over 900 personnel.

A business management graduate of San Beda, he worked with Kamayan and Jollibee before the call of the seas lured him to join the Navy. Now in his ninth year, he climbed the ropes and has proven himself as head of the foodservice team that serves the USS Blue Ridge. Manning a team of 12 men and women, he efficiently runs a clean and tight operation. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the kitchen is jovial, not tense, with a bit of bantering as the job gets done.

We came just as breakfast was being served and with the culinary specialists moving on to prepare for lunch. The menu was mambo pork roast with peaches, and apple pie a la mode for dessert. Philip showed me an order sheet and how they go about preparing a meal. His Filipino taste and sensibilities must have rubbed off on the rest of the crew, who has now taken a liking towards Filipino dishes such as chicken adobo, afritada, and pancit. Philip says the crew on board is occasionally given survey forms as to what they would want to see on the menu, and surprisingly so many Pinoy dishes came into the picture. And yes, they like their soup sour, too, and they would ask for sinigang. The recipes would be modified to suit the needs of the navy personnel, meaning less soy sauce oil. The navy has to keep its men happy during meals, but fit as well.

Below is the ship’s recipe for mambo pork roast, which is good for 100 servings. Just imagine the ship’s chef cooking for about 900 personnel every day. That means this recipe needs to be multiplied by nine.

Mambo Pork Roast

Yield: 100 portions

Pan size: three roasting pans at 350°F

Each portion: 4 ounces

Each portion has: 319 calories, 30 grams carbohydrates, 23 grams protein, 11 grams fat, 0 milligram cholesterol, 231 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber, and 11 milligrams calcium



7-1/8 pounds/3 quarts peaches, canned, quartered

5-3/4 pounds/2-1/2 quarts pineapple, canned, crushed

1-1/8 pounds/2-1/4 cups red wine vinegar

1/4 ounces/1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3/8 ounces/1/2 cup parsley flakes, dehydrated

1/8 ounce/1 teaspoon allspice, ground

31 pounds pork loin, bladeless

1-1/4 ounces/2 tablespoons salt

1/2 ounce/2 tablespoons black pepper

2 pounds/1 quart water

5 pounds/3 quarts long grain rice

20 pounds/2-1/2 gallons water, cool



Combine peaches, juice from fruits, vinegar, cinnamon, parsley, and allspice in a large bowl.

Rub the pork roasts with salt and pepper. Place the roast in pans, so there is at least three inch-space between each roast.

Divide the fruit sauce among the roasting pans. Cover, roast in a 350°F oven for 2-1/2 hours, basting with the fruit sauce every 45 minutes. If the pan dries out, add two inches of water, cover again, and continue cooking. The internal temperature of each roast must be 155°F or higher.

Rinse the rice in cool water. Place the rice and water in a steamer, cover and steam for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Keep at 140°F or higher until service.

Slice the pork roasts into 1-ounce slices. Hold pork at 140° F or higher for service.

To serve:

Place two slices of pork with 1/4 cup of the fruit sauce over 1/2 cup of rice.

* * *

Felipe proudly wears an emblem sewn on his uniform, which says "Ney Award Winner." It refers to the Capt. Edward F. Ney Memorial Awards for Outstanding Food Service, which are given by the Secretary of the Navy. The emblem cites Felipe’s team as being the best among all naval operations. It is the highest form of recognition, giving them five-star accreditation. Their team is bent on bagging the same merit this year.

I asked Felipe’s staff about his leadership. The answers were unanimous: They all liked him.

I met another Pinoy on board, another culinary specialist by the name of Jerric Toledo. A native of Cavite, Jerric is grateful for the numerous opportunities given him by the Navy, one of which gives him and his family free housing — they are now residing in Japan — and offers of continuing education as added benefits. Of course, he also longs for home and the company of his fondly missed brother Richard. He also occasionally craves for gooey ube halaya and leche flan.

I also met two young men from Felipe’s team who have Filipino girlfriends. Hobbs proudly keeps his girlfriend’s photo as his phone screensaver, while Josh, the team’s baker, impresses us with a batch of freshly baked, hot from the oven pan de coco. I took a bite and, indeed, was won over. He could have been a Filipino panadero in another life. And with the way Filipinas swoon over fair-skinned mestizos, he could capitalize on his good looks and make a profit selling his hot buns in the country.

Later on, I met the ship’s captain, Jeff Bartkoski. I warmly shook his hand and commended him for a job well done, judging from what I had seen so far. He was every bit the gentleman in uniform is: genial, personable and accommodating. I asked how they handle homesickness, oceans away from home. The captain admits to getting homesick himself and misses his family, but that’s the sad part of being in the service. Nevertheless, since the USS Blue Ridge is the communications center of the Navy, the personnel can always communicate with their loved ones through the best high technology can offer.

He adds the ship itself is a virtual city, complete with a neighborhood barbershop, five restaurants, gym, recreational center, and school where the personnel can continue their education and get paid for it at the same time.

I left the USS Blue Ridge impressed and with a deep respect for the US Navy who patrol the seas to keep the peace. Let’s wish them a safe journey, and may they always be blessed with delicious food on board to keep them going. And to Philip and the rest of the team, mabuhay kayo!