Shaw Air Force Base receives innovative new equipment for dining facility

The 20th Force Support Squadron Emerson E. Williams Dining Facility recently received a new cooking center.

The center, which is a Rational Self-Cooking Center, will provide the dining facility with a means to cook various types of food and retain food quality through numerous batches.

"It makes the cooking process a lot easier," said Aidan Waite, Rational USA executive chef. "It's combining numerous pieces of equipment to give you better quality of food when it comes out."

With the introduction of the cooking center, DFAC airmen will be able to provide quality food for Team Shaw members.

"We have numerous recipes that we use here in the dining facility," said Tech. Sgt. Terry Cooper, 20th FSS dining facility manager. "Being able to save our recipes onto the oven will help speed up our cooking process while keeping our quality of food."

The airmen assigned to the DFAC will receive training on the touchscreen-designed cooking center throughout the months to become proficient with the machinery.

"It's definitely going to be a learning process with about 22 people here," Cooper said. "Ensuring that our airmen are properly trained is paramount to mission success."

While producing mass quantities of food is a necessity for DFACs across the Air Force, the oven will cook proficiently no matter the number of items being cooked.

The oven can prevent uneven cooking and minimize foodborne illnesses caused by inconsistent cooking methods.

"If I test one item and it comes out nice, I can fill it up and the oven will adjust heat, fan speed and humidity throughout the system," Waite said.

Remaining innovative and training on new pieces of equipment, the airmen assigned to the DFAC will provide the base with the energy needed to keep the mission going both stateside and downrange.