Culinary Arts students at the Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center in Port Ewen challenged themselves to elevate the classic military Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE) in a pre-Veterans Day project. The students, enrolled in Chef Elise Macur and Chef Justin Nahow’s classes, worked in teams to transform MRE components into gourmet dishes.

The competition, inspired by similar challenges in vocational schools nationwide, aimed to showcase the diverse career paths available within the culinary field, explained Chef Macur. “Every branch of the U.S. military has amazing culinary programs,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of culinary skills in the Armed Forces. For this project, the students collaborated with the Army National Guard, including Army National Guard Reservist and Ulster BOCES alumnus Justin Rearick.

Divided into teams of five or six, the students were given one hour to prepare a main entrée, dessert, and drink using only MRE ingredients and items from the Culinary Arts kitchen. The challenge emphasized teamwork and creativity under time constraints.

"Every single team had something ready for each piece at the final judging panel,” said Chef Macur, impressed by their resourcefulness. Dishes included chicken pot pie with a cracker crust and a peanut butter and jelly parfait, showcasing the students' ability to transform basic ingredients. A chicken fajita MRE became a chicken pot pie with a crust made from crackers included in the packet. A tube of peanut butter turned into a peanut butter and jelly parfait dessert.

A panel of U.S. veterans from Ulster BOCES and Army National Guard representatives judged the final creations. Each dish or drink was evaluated on teamwork, creativity presentation, and flavor. The Yellow Team's chicken pot pie won the morning session, while Team 3's tacos earned top honors in the afternoon.

The MRE Challenge provided a valuable learning experience for the young professionals, demonstrating the importance of teamwork, communication, and creative thinking in a demanding culinary environment.