Dining facility preps for food service evaluation team Published Feb. 18, 2009 By Airman 1st Class David Carbajal 3rd Wing Public Affairs ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- In 2008, the Iditarod Dining Facility served more than 350,000 meals, nearly enough to serve a meal to each person in the Anchorage and Fairbanks communities combined. To assess beyond quantity, the John L. Hennessy Award Evaluation Team will visit Elmendorf AFB Feb. 24-25 to determine who has the best food service in the Air Force. The Hennessy Award, named after one of the nation's most respected members in the food service industry, recognizes the best food service program in both single and multi-facility categories in the areas of kitchen operations, serving and dining operations, training and personnel readiness, sanitation and repair maintenance and management. The team of experts in the field will consist of Capt. James Miller and Senior Master Sgt. Richard Scott, Headquarters Air Force Services Agency, and Art Ritt, Society for Foodservice Management. The dining facility staff and 3rd Wing leadership will host the evaluation team Feb. 24 for an icebreaker at the Susitna Club. "To win this award, you truly have to be the best of the best," said Master Sgt. Stephanie Thomas, dining facility manager. She stressed that the staff's attitudes and command support would weigh heavily in the evaluation. The services facility has made it a point to be more customer service oriented said Kevin Moore, the assistant dining facility manager. Currently the facility regularly hosts birthday meals, family nights, customer appreciation nights and special holiday meals. The Iditarod Dining Facility was last named the Hennessy Award recipient in 2003.