BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES: LA FLEET WEEK™ TO HOST INAUGURAL ‘GALLEY WARS’ COOKING COMPETITION

SAN PEDRO, Calif. – August 26, 2016 – Ready…  Aim… Fire up the grill!

During the inaugural LA Fleet Week™, top gun culinary specialists from the Navy and Coast Guard will face off in a first-ever “Galley Wars” cooking competition on the fantail of the historic Battleship IOWA. The Galley Wars mission:  Put a tasty LA spin on the traditional “steel beach” barbeques held on Navy ships for sailors and their families.

The competition on the LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles creates a tasty rivalry between culinary specialists and their teams from the three LA Fleet Week™ visiting Navy ships and one Coast Guard cutter representing the Los Angeles-Long Beach sector. Teams will only be able to use “standard issue” ingredients from a standard vessel galley to create their best “steel beach” meal. Their entries will include an “LA-style” burger, with two sides and dessert. 

After prepping, chopping, and tasting the elements in their respective galley kitchens, the teams will all come together for grilling, official tasting and judging event on the Battleship IOWA, 11 a.m. to noon on Sept. 1.

To build up the stakes and future bragging rights (at least until next year’s Fleet Week), the judging panel will be Celebrity Chef Mei Lin, Chef/Restaurateur Steve Samson and burger-loving Rear Admiral James S. Bynum, Commander of the U.S. Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 9.

Chef Lin most recently earned the title of Top Chef on Bravo TV’s Emmy-winning show. She’s also been an episode winner on Esquire TV’s Knife Fight. Chef Samson, creator of LA’s popular Sotto restaurant, has also been named one of Los Angeles Magazine’s Chefs of the Year.

Rounding out the tasty affair with her own signature flair and brand of enthusiasm is popular food blogger, Instagrammer and dessert aficionado Nastassia Johnson (@LetMeEatCake) as competition emcee!

So man your stations…  Let the Galley Wars commence … And may the best burger win!