Culinary specialist (United States Navy) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Culinary specialist |
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Rating insignia
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| Issued by | United States Navy |
| Type | Enlisted rating |
| Abbreviation | CS |
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A Culinary Specialist (often called CS) is a special job in the United States Navy. These sailors are like chefs and food managers. Their main job is to prepare and serve meals for thousands of sailors. They also help manage living areas on ships and at Navy bases.
This job was once called "mess management specialist" until 2004. Before that, it was known as "commissaryman" or "steward."
Contents
For a long time, the U.S. Navy had different jobs for sailors who handled food. Before 1975, there were two main groups:
Stewards and Commissarymen
- Stewards cooked and served meals for officers. They also helped keep officers' rooms tidy and cared for their uniforms. Sailors of African, Filipino, and Asian descent often held these jobs.
- Commissarymen prepared meals for regular sailors. They worked in big kitchens called galleys on ships and at shore bases. They also bought, stored, and kept track of all the food.
Combining Roles
In 1975, the Navy combined these jobs into one new role: "Mess Management Specialist." This meant sailors in this job would cook and serve food for everyone, both officers and enlisted sailors. With this change, officers began to take on some of the cleaning duties for their own rooms. Other cleaning tasks were shared by different sailors on the ship. This system is still used today.
Becoming Culinary Specialists
In 2004, the "Mess Management Specialist" job title changed again to Culinary Specialist. This change was made to help sailors when they left the Navy. The new name sounds more like a civilian chef or food service job. This makes it easier for them to find work in restaurants, hotels, or other food businesses.
Today, about 7,500 Culinary Specialists work for the U.S. Navy. They feed more than 300,000 sailors all over the world.
What Culinary Specialists Do
Culinary Specialists have many important duties. They manage food service areas and living quarters in the U.S. Navy. Here are some of their tasks:
- Figure out how much food is needed for meals.
- Help officers order and store food supplies and kitchen equipment.
- Check food deliveries to make sure the right amount arrives and that it is good quality.
- Create menus and then plan, prepare, and serve meals.
- Keep all food service areas, including kitchens and storage rooms, very clean and safe.
- Keep records of money spent on food and send in reports.
- Manage and look after living areas on ships and at Navy bases.
Some Navy Culinary Specialists even work for the President of the United States. They prepare meals at the White House and at Camp David, which is a special retreat.
