View Full Version : Masterchef 4 Apr
chevvron
5th Apr 2018, 15:23
As a tribute to 100 years of the RAF, last nights' Masterchef heat dealt with the competitors preparing a meal for serving and retired personnel at RAF Halton.
Some of these were new(ish) recruits and were shown 'marching' to their meal.
I have to say either standards have dropped considerably or they were straight off the street and put into uniform because their marching was diabolical! Where was the arm swinging and the crisp steps? The drill sergeant with them wasn't yelling, in fact he hardly said anything at all.
Toadstool
5th Apr 2018, 15:56
As a tribute to 110 years of the RAF, last nights' Masterchef heat dealt with the competitors preparing a meal for serving and retired personnel at RAF Halton.
Some of these were new(ish) recruits and were shown 'marching' to their meal.
I have to say either standards have dropped considerably or they were straight off the street and put inti uniform because their marching was diabolical! Where was the arm swinging and the crisp steps? The drill sergeant with them wasn't yelling, in fact he hardly said anything at all.
Yeah. It wasn't like that in my day....God we had it rough. :}
Nostalgia isn’t what what it used to be.....
Duchess_Driver
5th Apr 2018, 18:12
"You were lucky...."
Wander00
5th Apr 2018, 18:14
Whole new slant on "centralised messing", but vegetarian, what is the world coming to
jayteeto
5th Apr 2018, 18:37
Sometimes you march from class to class to be a little bit more organised. Not every bimble is a full parade ffs.
We did it at Cosford in the 1980s, when on a course of up to 3 years. We talked to each other as well. Up to 10 “marches” a day between lectures in all weather. If they had demanded parade standard, I would have quit on day 2.
Sometimes you march from class to class to be a little bit more organised. Not every bimble is a full parade ffs.
We did it at Cosford in the 1980s, when on a course of up to 3 years. We talked to each other as well. Up to 10 “marches” a day between lectures in all weather. If they had demanded parade standard, I would have quit on day 2.
When my course arrived at Halton in 1975, "they" (the Discip's) didn't want we, mere mortal mechanics, to soil the Appo Parade Ground. And so we were bannished from that 'hello!' ground to forever walk the footpath of doom, unescorted by Squeally Cat Band or bellowing DI, to and from workshops every day.
A very nice relief from Swinditz, to be able to walk in lines at our own pace for a few months...
Linedog
5th Apr 2018, 20:29
When my course arrived at Halton in 1975, "they" (the Discip's) didn't want we, mere mortal mechanics, to soil the Appo Parade Ground. And so we were bannished from that 'hello!' ground to forever walk the footpath of doom, unescorted by Squeally Cat Band or bellowing DI, to and from workshops every day.
A very nice relief from Swinditz, to be able to walk in lines at our own pace for a few months...
You were lucky Rigga. I arrived at Halton from Swinderblitx in Dec '73. As an adult entry mech, we had to march down the hill with the apps to the workshops, back up at lunchtime, back down after etc.
Shack37
5th Apr 2018, 20:31
Some of these were new(ish) recruits and were shown 'marching' to their meal.
I have to say either standards have dropped considerably or they were straight off the street and put into uniform because their marching was diabolical! Where was the arm swinging and the crisp steps? The drill sergeant with them wasn't yelling, in fact he hardly said anything at all.
Was their "Eating Drill" satisfactory? Knife and Fork correctly manipulated etc? White wine with fish and red with meat? Accurate throwing of the bread rolls?:rolleyes:
Melchett01
5th Apr 2018, 22:01
Sometimes you march from class to class to be a little bit more organised. Not every bimble is a full parade ffs.
We did it at Cosford in the 1980s, when on a course of up to 3 years. We talked to each other as well. Up to 10 “marches” a day between lectures in all weather. If they had demanded parade standard, I would have quit on day 2.
On IOT we had to march everywhere for the first 2/3 of the course. And that was even if you were moving from point A to B as a singleton. Walking normally rather than marching was granted as a privilege towards the end of the course when we were the Senior Course, but with the constant threat of being made to march again if standards were deemed to have slipped.
NutLoose
5th Apr 2018, 22:57
You were lucky Rigga. I arrived at Halton from Swinderblitx in Dec '73. As an adult entry mech, we had to march down the hill with the apps to the workshops, back up at lunchtime, back down after etc.
Same when I was there, march down and up 4 times a day with the traffic lot closing off the road at the bottom, the riggers had an underpass to march through, but that was closed for a bit during my time as a fire engine managed to roll on its own from the fire section and then drop into the said underpass :E :ok:
I do wonder if my final test piece is still there, they were relaying the parade square when I was there and I managed to drop it onto the fresh Tarmac to see them roller it into the surface :E
Nice to see the Gnat in the museum, we took them out during my course, which involved pulling the wings off and dumping the fuselages down the airfield, the museum one looks better than ours ever did as the schools had the nosebay filled with barbed wire steel angle iron supports to keep the nose down.
I remember flying into the place in formation with four other Puma, we had life ex rotors on ours so had to do a BIM check, out came a designated trainee dressed to the nines with day glow and goggles towing a fire ex, arriving at the first he gives them a shut down signal, to be pointed down the line, by the time he got to the adjacent one to us, we as the only one that needed too had shut down, checked the BIM's and started up again. We then all lifted and departed before the poor guy got to us.
Don't know if you watched it but did you see Brian Rogers?
My very first Sqn Boss.
Fast forwarded through the first half I’m afraid. Went to normal speed for the second half cook-off.
And the commentator said that some officers are trained here......
I am sure many commissioned from the ranks were....
NutLoose
6th Apr 2018, 12:29
They had a trainee RAF pilot on it that was supposedly based there.
Vampiredave
6th Apr 2018, 13:33
The sight of 'Wallace and Gromit' parading in front of the camera in their flying gear will remain forever green in my mind?
downsizer
6th Apr 2018, 13:55
Bit of free PR. Lighten up.
Vendee
6th Apr 2018, 16:52
It was nice to see my old barrack block again. I wonder if they still have the same names? Mine was Fury block at Halton. At Swinderby it was Ward block after the Kiwi VC winner. Its funny the things you remember :rolleyes:
gr4techie
6th Apr 2018, 16:52
Did the tv show hide what an appalling service the "Pay As You Dine" contractors provide? Or did this tv show have a standard of catering that will never be found in the mess?
What does p*** me off is how PAYD is deliberately bad, in an economic race to the bottom. They can't have good and healthy food cutting into their civilian shareholders profit.
I'm pretty certain the PAYD contractor at this unit provides the absolute bare minimum that it can. They would only open for 5 minutes a weekend and serve nothing but beans, if they could.
But who in the RAF/MOD is ensuring these PAYD companies are providing the catering that they are contracted to do !?
The "healthy eating" leaflets show one thing, but the reality of what they provide is something else.
unclenelli
6th Apr 2018, 19:46
I bet Maitland Mess was shrouded with the same chem-barriers as Salisbury's Zizzi, to prevent their weekly delivery of "BLAND" escaping and contaminating any other foodstuff within a half-mile radius!
MightyGem
6th Apr 2018, 21:53
As no one else has mentioned it, was the caption "Aircraftman" correct for the female recruits? I assumed it was a Beeb error.
Private jet
6th Apr 2018, 22:03
Did the tv show hide what an appalling service the "Pay As You Dine" contractors provide? Or did this tv show have a standard of catering that will never be found in the mess?
What does p*** me off is how PAYD is deliberately bad, in an economic race to the bottom. They can't have good and healthy food cutting into their civilian shareholders profit.
I'm pretty certain the PAYD contractor at this unit provides the absolute bare minimum that it can. They would only open for 5 minutes a weekend and serve nothing but beans, if they could.
But who in the RAF/MOD is ensuring these PAYD companies are providing the catering that they are contracted to do !?
The "healthy eating" leaflets show one thing, but the reality of what they provide is something else.
We all live in our own era, and welcome to the era you are living in.
My concern is that little bald man with glasses. How does a greengrocer become a fine dining "expert"? has he got something on someone at the BBC?
gr4techie
6th Apr 2018, 22:14
We all live in our own era, and welcome to the era you are living in.
My concern is that little bald man with glasses. How does a greengrocer become a fine dining "expert"? has he got something on someone at the BBC?
I'm old enough that remember the RAF before the introduction of Pay As You Dine. Back when the RAF looked after its guys and girls, it was one of the perks back then that helped with morale and retention.
I'm yet to meet any Serviceman who is happy with PAYD. A few years ago there were news articles about young Soldiers suffering from malnutrition.
chevvron
7th Apr 2018, 03:38
We all live in our own era, and welcome to the era you are living in.
My concern is that little bald man with glasses. How does a greengrocer become a fine dining "expert"? has he got something on someone at the BBC?
I thought he was a barrow boy at Borough Market not a greengrocer.
Vendee
7th Apr 2018, 08:45
I'm old enough that remember the RAF before the introduction of Pay As You Dine. Back when the RAF looked after its guys and girls, it was one of the perks back then that helped with morale and retention.
I'm yet to meet any Serviceman who is happy with PAYD. A few years ago there were news articles about young Soldiers suffering from malnutrition.
I have a friend who has worked at Honington's Airman's and SNCO's messes for quite a few years. She is entitled to eat for free but she would rather bring her own lunch from home.
unclenelli
7th Apr 2018, 10:59
I thought Halton recruits weren't on PAYD as they were entitled to a higher calorific intake.
Go figure!?!?!?!
Make 'em Fat, then pass RAFFT to escape!
In 2010 the RAFFT policy changed to include RAFFT to escape Ph2 trg too!
I got him!
He joined overweight, slimmed down at Halton. Completed trg, then held for 14 wks to 'pass' RAFFT (which allegedly cost him a packet of Jaffa Cakes!)
Kicked out of Southwick Park (RAFP School) for attitude, held at HYW, remustered to TG9, arrived at my door at 23 stone!
Immediate RAFFT fail, so he instigated Padre, SAAFA, DMHC casework. All of which needed to be closed down before waivers for RoS & PVR Waiting times were used and he exited the RAF after 1yr 360days (just 5 days short of reserved pension rights) after serving only 2 days productive service!
chevvron
7th Apr 2018, 11:42
I thought Halton recruits weren't on PAYD as they were entitled to a higher calorific intake.
Go figure!?!?!?!
The figure of 4,000 cal/day was mentioned by OC Training Wing.
PAYD was campaigned for years by airmen who claimed they hardly ate in the mess. The official line was a change would amount to "pay as you starve" Now the change came after I left, and I'm not sure exactly what the driver was, but today's airmen are certainly getting what yesterday's wanted.
PAYD was campaigned for years by airmen who claimed they hardly ate in the mess. The official line was a change would amount to "pay as you starve" Now the change came after I left, and I'm not sure exactly what the driver was, but today's airmen are certainly getting what yesterday's wanted.
PAYD is a tri-service, self-inflicted wound. Thank those whiners who couldn't see past the fact that paying for food at weekends when they may not have been on-base evened out during the week.
So, as Al R says, blame the soldiers, sailors and airmen of yesteryear. The system cops out every time by saying 'well, PAYD is what everyone wanted.' :ugh:
SirToppamHat
7th Apr 2018, 21:26
Dont disagree about any of the above. I got to Henlow in 2007; 'This is a PAYD Trial Station' said the tatty leaflet I found in my room. And oh how we wished the trial would end and we could go back to the way things were, but of course there was no chance of that for the decision had been made, and the Airmen's Mess was long gone, replaced by some sort of central cafe facility that the offrs were banned from after a certain young Prince of the Realm took his mates to as it was better than the OM.
As an independent Unit I saw the truth of the oft talked of 'pay-as-you-starve', when one of the Unit's drivers asked me if he could be on a particular exercise away from Henlow, and when asked why, explained that it was the last week of the month and meant he would get fed by the Queen.
My understanding, though was that the old system needed to be revamped in any case because deployed meals were funded from the daily food charge, which was OK if we weren't deployed much and everyone was subject to it, but of course most people do not live in single accom, so the people funding it were rightly pissed-off that they weren't even getting their money's worth and the system only survived because they missed so many meals.
Sometimes you march from class to class to be a little bit more organised. Not every bimble is a full parade ffs.
We did it at Cosford in the 1980s, when on a course of up to 3 years. We talked to each other as well. Up to 10 “marches” a day between lectures in all weather. If they had demanded parade standard, I would have quit on day 2.
I was in that location around the same time, and the marching was I think just a method for getting a body of troops from A to B. On one lunchtime I seem to recall having to get from the far end of the classrooms huts to the mess. The class in front seemed to be dawdling, so our class indicated, pulled out and overtook the class in front.
While it may not have been parade standard, the overtaking class were all in step and marching at a longer pace than the class we were overtaking.
NutLoose
8th Apr 2018, 04:33
It took me years to look at another Steak, Working on LSS at Brize on 12 hour shifts meant one could literally have steak, or indeed a roast two times a day sometimes three.
Wander00
8th Apr 2018, 11:28
PAYD - turkeys really did vote for Christmas. Services and service personnel roundly ripped off by contractors, IMHO
The B Word
8th Apr 2018, 13:21
They had a trainee RAF pilot on it that was supposedly based there.
There are holding pilots all over the RAF at the moment as we transition between the legacy flying training system to UKMFTS across all areas of the pipeline apart from Advanced Jet Training at Valley. So he is most likely one of them.
chevvron
8th Apr 2018, 14:09
I bet Maitland Mess was shrouded with the same chem-barriers as Salisbury's Zizzi, to prevent their weekly delivery of "BLAND" escaping and contaminating any other foodstuff within a half-mile radius!
Back in the '60s when I was on 613 GS, we decided to try '3 Wing' mess for saturday lunch (normally took our sarnies to 'The Rising Sun'). I went up and took a steak at random from the warming area; a stern faced Sergeant in a white coat standing there said 'that's not a very good steak, put it back and take another one'.
chevvron
8th Apr 2018, 14:10
As no one else has mentioned it, was the caption "Aircraftman" correct for the female recruits? I assumed it was a Beeb error.
Whaddya want, 'Aircraftperson'?
oldmansquipper
8th Apr 2018, 15:23
All this PAYD nonsense takes me back to B/E training at Saints in the early 60s. We (46thEntry) had just moved from ITS to "the wings". As 2 Wg junior entry we were politely informed by our Seniors (44th) that we were to join in on a 'Hunger Protest' at the standard of food in our mess. You didn't argue under the 'Entryism' regime. We were marched from workshops to the mess, where both entries halted stood easy and refused to go in to eat. Faced with the whole lunchtime food being left to go to waste the OC Catering called in the CO of 4SofTT to mediate! Can't remember if we eventually went in but the food did improve IIRC. Happy Days!
NutLoose
8th Apr 2018, 17:50
Thanks Bword, he drew the short straw getting Halton.
MightyGem
8th Apr 2018, 21:23
Whaddya want, 'Aircraftperson'?
No, just wondering...
was the caption "Aircraftman" correct for the female recruits?
Simple question.
No.
https://www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment/about-the-raf/structure/
Senior Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman (SAC)
Leading Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman
Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman
Wander00
9th Apr 2018, 09:14
What's that, "Leading Aircraft-whatever gender you have declared yourself to be" - bit of a mouthful, especially on parade
No, just wondering...
Simple question.
The female equivalent was ACW, which was pronounced "Aircraftwoman".
I knew an ACW with a surname which sounded the same but was spelt differently to the surname of Paul Anka the singer.
We never on any occasion addressed her as "AC W......" when "....." was her surname.
MightyGem
9th Apr 2018, 20:36
Thank you. :ok: