05 June 2004

Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 87

June 5, 2004, Saturday
8:00 PM Alaska time

It is tradition for the scientists to cook one night during the expedition for the crew. About a week and a half ago, Jackie Grebmeier put out a call for someone to undertake the task. Now, we take it for granted that we will be served three great meals everyday, but feeding this group takes an immense amount of planning and preparation. Cooking for more than 140 people is not easy. Umm, I wonder if the science dinner tradition was started to emphasize this point.

Undaunted, Christine Pequignet took up the call and became the scientists’ head chef. She sent out a call for assistants and recipes, and scoured the provisions for ingredients. After a couple of meetings, the French influenced menu was finalized and a schedule of events complete.

The menu for the science dinner.

The preparations started last night about 9 PM with dessert making. At 12:30 PM today, the cooking began. The timing could not have been better as we were in transit to the next station. Many people worked in shifts, coming to help cook, clean dishes and do whatever was necessary.

Helping with the dinner rolls. Notice the schedule of events was posted in the background.

The scientists seemed to enjoy the break from their regular work. Pictured are Christine Pequignet aka “Le Queen Bee of Cooking” and Rachael Rearick aka “DNA Diva.”

Cooking is hard work, but fun when so many people help.

The 5:00 PM dinner hour came quickly, but the planned schedule of events worked and everything was ready on time. There must have been great anticipation for the science dinner because I have not seen so people arrive at one time for a meal. The line went down the corridor and began wrapping around itself. The wait was worth it as the food was delicious and diverse. Dinner guests were offered cooked vegetables, rice, scalloped potatoes, roasted pork, baked salmon, Cajun styled shrimp and king crab legs. The side dishes included cheese biscuits, three-bean salad and homemade dinner rolls. Dessert included almond cakes, flan and brownies. No one left dinner hungry, there were even seconds served.

The people lined up in anticipation of a great meal, and they were not disappointed.

This was our night and the preparations were complete. It is not an easy task to make a meal for 140+ hungry people, but with Christine Pequignet’s organization and supervision, the meal was fabulous and flawless.

After dinner, science volunteers put away food in large stainless containers covered with plastic. The containers were placed in huge refrigerators to be used for the midnight rations (mid-rats). Many hands help cleaned the steamer, dishes, counters, tables and floors. We worked like a well-oiled machine and soon the clean up was complete and another science dinner fulfilled.

To see photographs taken by Steve Roberts of UCAR/JOSS, click here.