News

McChord Reservist earns silver at Copper River Salmon event

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Lori Fiorello
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. --  Rock stars have a stage. Golfers have a green. Olympic weightlifters have a platform. Master Sgt. Robert Shulman, 446th Force Support Squadron sustainment services flight manager, McChord Field, Wash., has a kitchen.

Not just any kitchen, Shulman, who has spent his entire 30-plus year Air Force career in food service, competed against three other chefs from the Pacific Northwest in preparing the best salmon recipe at Alaska Air Cargo's annual Copper Chef Cook-Off May 17 in Seattle.
Not only did he accept the challenge, Shulman ate it up for breakfast, taking home a silver medal.

He was nominated to represent the 446th Airlift Wing as a special tribute to the military and was cheered on by 10 other salmon-loving Citizen Airmen from the wing.

"I was taken aback when I was asked; I thought they wanted me to be in the back cutting onions. I didn't realize I'd actually be competing against (the other chefs)," said Shulman. "I was proud to represent the 446th Airlift Wing and was really honored by the whole team who came out and supported me."

Using their own recipes, each chef had 30 minutes to prepare and serve freshly caught salmon for the panel of judges, which included Jay Buhner, Seattle Mariners Hall of Famer, Mike Fourtner, deckhand of the F/V Time Bandit, from Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" television show, Jeff Butler, Alaska Airlines' vice president of customer service-airports and cargo and the 446th AW's own command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Tony Mack.

"The Air Force Reserve is made up of professional Airmen, both in their military specialty and in their civilian capacity," said Mack. "Shulman optimizes excellence; competing with Seattle's top chefs while championing the relationships we have within the local community."

Shulman separated from the active-duty Air Force in 1990 and became a Reservist in order to pursue a culinary career full-time.

"The entire event was exciting from the moment I woke up, to leaving at 3 a.m., and driving in over an hour of traffic, to cooking in a different environment ... it revived me ... I loved it," said the Portland resident.

He continued to gain vast culinary experience in the civilian world, working as a chef in various kitchens such as at the Embassy Suites, Red Lion Hotels, McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants. It all led where he is today -- working as an executive sous chef at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Ore.

"This all wouldn't be possible without the support of my wife; she supports me night and day and has throughout all of the deployments I've been on," said the chef. "I wouldn't be where I am today (without her)."

The annual competition is designed to welcome the start of salmon season. Guest chefs from the Pacific Northwest region are invited to cook the first king salmon catches with their own recipes and compete for various prizes.