Minuteman Club to host evening of gourmet dining Jan. 16

By Kevin Gilmartin
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Limited tickets are available for an evening of gourmet dining featuring five courses, each paired with an appropriate wine, at Hanscom's Minuteman Club Jan. 16.

The gourmet meal will be prepared by Senior Master Sgt. Mark Veomett, enlisted aide to Electronic Systems Commander Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds, and members of the club staff. The gourmet evening is the initiative of General Bowlds and his wife, Marcia. Sixty seats have been reserved for the event, of which 30 are set aside for invitation and 30 available to the Hanscom public. Cost is $60 per person.

"We have attended similar gourmet meals at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and they have always turned out great," General Bowlds said. "Mark is an absolutely terrific chef, so this is not only an opportunity for people to sample some of his culinary skills, but also a chance for him to pass on some of his recipes to the club staff, while learning new techniques from them."

Sergeant Veomett's cooking abilities were recognized by the Air Force last May, when he was chosen to represent the service as a part of a two-person team in the Freedom Chefs Challenge, the first inter-service gourmet cooking contest, held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He has many years of culinary experience, having been an instructor at the Basic Services School at Lowry, AFB, Texas, and later with the U.S. Army Advanced Culinary Program, at Fort Lee, Va., where he earned his credentials as a Certified Executive Chef, an industry standard applied to only the elite culinary specialists.
Sergeant Veomett has been working closely with Club Manager Dave Bovio and his staff to develop the menu, and said everyone is enthusiastic about creating the perfect gourmet experience.

"This should be a first-class, fun event featuring a very relaxing dining experience," said Sergeant Veomett. "Attendees will enjoy a well balanced meal covering a lot of different flavors, tastes and textures. Guests will definitely get their money's worth."

Following a short social period beginning at 6 p.m., dinner guests will be seated for the first course of soup, which will be consommé with chiffonade of herbed crepes. A seafood course of herb roasted salmon and potato gaufrette over wilted greens comes next, followed by a salad course of arugula and pear salad with mascarpone and toasted walnuts. The main course consists of beef tenderloin with ginger Dijon sauce, marinated tomatoes and asparagus. Topping off the meal will be dessert of lemon flan with winter compote and chocolate.

A sommelier, or wine steward, will be on hand throughout the evening with wine pairings that complement each course.

Anyone interested in attending the gourmet event should contact the ESC Protocol office at (781) 377- 8753 for reservations.

(Archives)