U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach will be featured in an episode of MasterChef in 2022, and an auxiliarist, Barry A. Chapman, had the pleasure of being part of this unique experience.

When Chapman showed up on 20 OCT 21 for his normal eight-hour shift as a culinary assistant in the galley, he learned Chef Gordon Ramsey would be filming an episode of MasterChef onsite. This event was with a reward for the unit receiving the coveted Galley of the Year Award
for 2020.

On that pre-filming day, Chef Ramsay’s crew showed up unexpectedly to shoot background footage for the episode. Donning their white chef’s coats, the galley team went about their normal duties. The Senior Chief invited Chapman to work another shift the following day so that he could be part of the filming.

Chapman was the only auxiliarist that joined the approximately 140 Coast Guard personnel taking part in the event. The ten cooks in their chef’s whites stood out among the sea of blue and camouflage ODUs. While Ramsay’s two teams of chefs prepared meals, camera crews interviewed some of the active-duty personnel as well as Chapman. The group was served two complete meals, including steak and fish.

“While in line to get their meals, personnel were less than 15 feet away from Ramsay, and were treated to the chef’s signature ‘chewing people out, ’”Chapman said. The requisite vote on the meals was taken in a rather unusual way. The group placed rings on posts colored to represent the Red Team and the Blue Team. The winning team will ultimately be revealed during the broadcast.

Ramsay thanked the U.S. Coast Guard for its service, as well as the hospitality his team was offered during the days of filming. The episode will air at the start of MasterChef’s twelfth season on Fox Network in 2022.

Chapman is a qualified culinary assistant and currently serves as Auxiliary Culinary Assistance Program Branch Chief Pacific, under the auspices of the Auxiliary’s Human Resources Directorate.

Submitted by Dawn Williams, BA-AMSB, Publications Division