Chef treats sailors to gourmet lunch

NORFOLK, Va. - The galley on aboard the USS Bainbridge goes gourmet for a day. Spicing things up Chef James Major, Executive Chef for the Cleveland Indians.

So we had to ask, what's harder? Cooking for thousands of sports fans or hundreds of hungry sailors?

"This was probably more challenging because it was a short time it was kind of a iron chef kinda in the galley today because you had a learn about everybody," says Major.

This is a homecoming of sorts for the chef who got his first taste of a culinary career serving on the USS Gunston Hall in the 90's. When a friend asked him to spend the day onboard Bainbridge the answer was easy he says.

"I wouldn't be the chef I am today, I wouldn't be the manager I am today, I wouldn't be as successful as I am today if it weren't for the US Navy."

Appreciation seemed to be the main ingredient of the day from Major and the sailors he served.

"Normally its good but this is a drastic improvement," said one sailor.

Culinary specialists like David Martin said he enjoyed watching the food fly off the buffet.

"They love the food right now. Its going real fast. This is our third pan of meatloaf. On a regular day we'd go through two."

Just the kind of food for thought Major hopes to leave behind, inspiring the the next generation of Navy cooks to sweet success.

"One of my shipmates said this meatloaf is one of the best. I hope to continue the trend," says Martin.