Catering Flight chefs at RAF Wittering serve 100,000th meal to deploying personnel
A quarantine facility was set up at RAF Wittering in July 2020
Catering Flight chefs at RAF Wittering have served their 100,000th meal at a quarantine facility this week.
A quarantine facility (QFAC) was set up at RAF Wittering in July 2020, which can hold more than 100 deploying MoD personnel in quarantine for up to two weeks.
They are tested regularly to make sure nobody with coronavirus goes overseas, with at least two negative PCR tests required before they can depart.
Corporal Chris Morrell, head chef in the QFAC, said:
"Our rationale has been about making the food great, and the eating environment Covid-safe.
"Each group has an allocated mealtime; ten minutes to sanitise hands, choose meals and get seated, then twenty minutes to eat."
To stop multiple hands touching the same items, only chefs can serve the menu choices.
Condiments have also been removed from the dining tables and are only available in individual sachets.
Corporal Morrell is a member of the Combined Services Culinary Arts Team, which is made up of leading MoD chefs.
He continued:
"Because food affects morale, we have a series of varied and tasty menus.
"QFAC personnel can’t leave the station, so there’s a serious responsibility on us to provide a nutritionally balanced and delicious diet.
"Our industry partners in ESS have been genuinely flexible and supportive in making this happen."
The QFAC chefs have catered for every dietary requirement, as well as creating themed menus.
A favourite over the last fifteen months has reportedly been the Korean Fried Chicken.
Wing Commander Jez Case, Station Commander at RAF Wittering, said:
"The QFAC has allowed personnel from all three services, as well as civil servants, to continue deploying on operations throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
"This essential activity has taken a significant amount of work from personnel across RAF Wittering.
"It is testament to their efforts that Defence has continued to deploy personnel where required, and that there has been no cross-contamination between residents of the QFAC and Wittering personnel.
"This has been a fantastic team effort by both service personnel and Defence contractors, particularly ESS, and the entire team have my thanks."