by Rebecca E. Tonn
Senior Mission Command Food Advisor Chief Warrant Officer 4 David J. Longstaff, a certified executive chef, was inducted into the prestigious American Academy of Chefs' honor society July 20 at the Marriott Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
Longstaff was sworn in during a formal ceremony and was recognized during an AAC members-only, black tie dinner. An induction into the AAC is reserved for individuals who have made significant contributions to both the culinary profession and the American Culinary Federation. Only 800 members of the ACF, out of 19,000 members, have been inducted into the AAC honor society. Longstaff is the third military person to have ever received this honor.
He enlisted in the Army in 1984 as a cook and attended the Warrant Officer Candidate Course in 1995.
He has been a member of the ACF since 1986; a certified executive chef since 2003; a certified culinary judge since 2005; and he was manager of the U. S. Army Culinary Arts Team from 2003-2006.
In 2006, Longstaff was the first servicemember to be awarded the Lt. Gen. John D. McLaughlin trophy by the ACF. While he was manager of USACAT, the team won 33 medals at the 2004 Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany, and the junior team won silver and bronze medals during competition in England in 2005. He served as judge and show chair for the U. S. Army Culinary Competition for three years and has been competing in culinary competitions since 1987.
Longstaff attributes his success in the civilian culinary arena to the positions he has held in the Army and being able to compete internationally.
"I've been trying to bridge the gap between military and civilian food service for a long time. I wanted to take what I'd learned in the Army and see how it would transition in the civilian world," Longstaff said.
His passion for cooking began when he was a child. Both of his parents worked outside the home; they left dinner recipes on the counter for Longstaff and his brother to cook. Back then, his favorite meal to cook was meatloaf. Now he prefers to grill lamb, smoke briskets and bake pastries, and he loves to put together a complete meal.
During summer, a sample menu for one of his dinner parties might be spring salad with a walnut vinaigrette dressing and hickory-smoked sharp white cheddar, watermelon soup (hot or cold), stuffed chicken breast and grilled chicken sausage. The palate cleanser would be a steeped-rose-petal sorbet, and dessert would be fresh vanilla bean ice cream and apple pie, followed by chocolate truffles.
Longstaff said he pursued culinary arts and judging because he gets to work with and mentor Soldiers.
"I tell young Soldiers to taste everything and ask themselves if they would pay for the food they'd prepared in a high-end restaurant. If the answer is 'no,' then they go back to the kitchen and try again.
"The looks on their faces, when they gain confidence and realize they are creative and gifted chefs - that's what cooking is all about. I try to keep them interested and motivated, so they will get to the next level. In turn, they prepare better food for Soldiers in the dining facilities," Longstaff said.
He felt honored to represent the military at his honor society induction and to be recognized for his dedication to the culinary profession.
"They value what I've done for the military," he said.
Roland Schaeffer, retired Certified Executive Chef, AAC inductee and 1991 ACF National Chef of the Year winner, has judged with Longstaff at international competitions numerous times. Schaeffer said that Longstaff is a good military man and an excellent advisor and mentor to other cooks.
"He is well-respected in the culinary community. I hold him in high regard. He is an excellent professional, with strong goals and ideals. Chef Longstaff is passionate in his support of the military and the American Culinary Federation," Schaeffer said.