PHILIPPINE SEA – It’s WESTPAC ’24-’25 and the galleys aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) are buzzing. The sound of pans clinging and the sizzle of the griddles combine with music blaring from Bluetooth speakers as the culinary specialists (CS) prepare meals.
As Sailors line up for “chow”, they’re met by wafting aromas that permeate the passage ways. One might wonder, what does it take for the food that will soon touch their trays to get there?
To feed everyone that calls America’s favorite carrier home, the personnel assigned to Supply Department must work as a team and find passion in what they do to be successful.
“It takes a lot of coordination, planning, hard work, and of course, a massive amount of food to feed 5,000 people,” said Culinary Specialist 1st Class John Estes, Leading Petty Officer of S-2 Division. “You have to take pride in the job and believe in the purpose to get it done every single day.”
Three months ago, as Vinson prepared to get underway for the deployment, 18 semi-trucks lined up to fill the storerooms and freezers aboard the ship.
Once underway, the ship must conduct replenishments-at-sea (RAS) to provide the crew with additional provisions to sustain them as they endeavor to complete the mission.
It is no simple task to plan out what food is needed underway, coordinate its availability in a certain region, ensure it’s placed on a supply ship and set up the RAS. It takes careful coordination between the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) San Diego and Vinson.
“Between DLA and FLC, it’s a crazy amount of coordination,” said Estes. “Coordinating the amount of food we need, getting the order submitted and funded, and getting it out here.”
In an address to the crew on Jan. 22, 2025, Capt. Matthew Thomas, Vinson’s commanding officer, relayed that out of 560 pallets received during a RAS that recently took place, 425 of them were made up entirely of food.
Once the food is on board, there is more work that must be done before it can touch the Sailors’ trays on the mess decks. The cargo team handles the inventory and organization of the food and ensures that everything received is stowed properly.
“It’s a lot of labor,” said Estes. “It’s taking on all of those pallets, getting it all from the hangar bay and striking it below to the storerooms. It’s a crazy amount of work. You can’t be afraid to get dirty – can’t be afraid to just roll up your sleeves and jump in there. If you go up to the RAS, you see master chiefs moving boxes.”
Vinson is able to conduct multiple RAS evolutions in a month, ensuring there is never a halt to the daily meal cycle. When it comes to feeding the enormous crew, the CSs and galley crew must remain flexible while working in an ever-changing environment.
“We have to think on the spot,” said Culinary Specialist Seaman Brittany Mata. “There have been times where we don’t know there’s been a menu change until the last minute and we have to act quickly. Instead of three hours to prep, we may only have two.”
Finally, after all the logistical coordination and the hard work of getting the food stored, prepped and cooked, the process starts all over again.
“If you take pride in your food, you’re going to make your food well,” said Mata. “You’re going to season it. You’re going to put love in it. The food you make reflects on you.”
In the end, feeding a crew of 5,000 Sailors is no small task. It’s a testament to the dedication, hard work and pride of the culinary specialists who pour their passion into every breakfast, lunch and dinner. From the meticulous planning before underways, to the logistical challenges of replenishments-at-sea, every detail matters to Vinson’s culinary specialists.