By: Robert Johnson
From 1998 to 2002 Scott Robbe served his country enlisted in the Marine Corps. For the last few years he has been serving up delicious food at the Salt Creek Grill as the Executive Chef at the Dana Point location, but when the opportunity to once again serve his country arose, Chef Scott was eager to accept the challenge.
While in the military Chef Robbe, a part of the infantry, was highly trained in various types of combat, traveled to Japan and South Korea, and spent most of his time stationed in Twenty-Nine Palms, Ca. Fortunately for Scott, he never was called to active duty.During his stint in the Marines, the US was not involved in any major conflict. However, right after being discharged from the Marines, the Iraq War began. Many fellow Marines and friends of Scott, still enlisted, were called to action. Some of them, regretfully, paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Not only did some of them lose limbs but some also lost their lives.
After completing his time in the military, Scott returned to civilian life and took up culinary classes at the Art Institute of California.Chef Robbe says that he learned to cook from an early age because his mother taught him how to be self sufficient, which eventually led him to a career as an Executive Chef.After completing his schooling Scott began his culinary work at McKenna’s on the Bay and quickly progressed to eventually become Executive Chef of McKenna’s before moving on to the Salt Creek Grille.Recently, while working at the Salt Creek Grille, Chef Robbe was contacted by Supreme Foodservice, a company which caters and serves food to dangerous and unfriendly locations, to see if he would like to employ his culinary expertise to, once again, serve his country. Feeling he still owed something to his country after his friends had given so very much, Chef Robbe readily agreed.
For the next year Chef Robbe will be stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan serving food to our nation’s troops in the region. Do not be fooled by the seemingly benign nature of serving food. The base where Chef will be stationed is remote enough that the only way in or out is by helicopter and, he will be required to attend additional military training before being deployed.
When he leaves he will leave his mother, girlfriend, and job with the Salt Creek Grille behind. Scott says that his mother and girlfriend both know how important is is for him to return to serve the troops, and give him their full support.He says he will get three weeks of vacation for every three months of service.He plans to use this time to visit his family as well as opportunities to travel abroad.Upon completing his time with Supreme Foodservice, headquartered in Amsterdam, Chef Robbe thinks he may use the experience to find work in Europe.
No matter where Chef Scott Robbe decides to call home after his unfailing dedication to his compatriots, fallen friends, and country, we in the United States will always be proud of him and people like him with the resolve to commit unselfish acts in the absence of appropriate gratitude. Best of luck to you, Chef Robbe, we wish you well and many happy returns.
10/15/09
