SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- The Air Force announced the winners of the 2015 Hennessy Trophy Award March 27.
The trophy has been awarded for 59 consecutive years to the teams presenting the best food service programs in the Air Force and is based on the entire scope of an installation's food service program.
Col. Marc Piccolo, the commander of Air Force Services Activity, congratulated the award winners.
“The competition this year was tight with all participating teams displaying an outstanding level of proficiency in providing for the food service needs of our Airmen,” Piccolo said. “Our winners displayed excellence in management effectiveness, force readiness support, food quality, employee and customer relations, training and safety awareness.”
Evaluation teams, consisting of two people from the National Restaurant Association and one military member from each region, selected the winners. Working with restaurant professionals is an invaluable part of the program and helps Air Force food service evolve, said Bill Spencer, the appropriated fund operations, food and beverage section chief with the AFSVA.
“The relationship is great; it keeps Air Force food service ahead of the game by looking to industry and learning from their best practices. As industry improves, so does the Air Force Food Service Program,” he said.
The winners are as follows:
Region one (EAST) winner: Hurlburt Field, Florida; Air Force Special Operations Command
Region two (WEST) winner: Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas; Air Education Training Command
U.S. Air Forces in Europe Food Service Small Site award winner: Buechel Air Base, Germany
Air Force Global Strike Command Best Missile Feeding Operation: Malmstrom AFB, Montana
Best in Air Force Food Transformation: MacDill AFB, Florida; Air Mobility Command
The Hennessy Travelers Association (HTA) Award of Excellence is determined each year by Hennessy evaluators on both Region one and Region two teams. Each team selects an Air Force Military Food Service person who exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism, attitude, and culinary skill as the recipient of the Award of Excellence. The winners will be announced during the Culinary Institute of America Greystone Training at their Greystone Campus in St. Helena, California, in October.
HTA nominees for Region 1 are:
Airman Joshua Allen, Tyndall AFB, Florida
Airman 1st Class Jonathan Martinez, Hurlburt Field
Senior Airman Marco Tordera, Whiteman AFB, Missouri
Staff Sgt. Angela Sapikowski, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey
Staff Sgt. Reginald Brown, Ramstein AB, Germany
HTA nominees for Region 2 are:
Airman 1st Class Cody Ferrante, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
Airman 1st Class John Hisola, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
Senior Airman Markeese Mcleod, Yokota AB, Japan