Galley Wars Cooking Competition at 2019 LA Fleet Week

Armed with spatulas and the hottest grills on the LA Waterfront, culinary specialists from our nation’s Sea Services will compete in a Galley Wars “surf & turf” grilling competition at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 1, during LA Fleet Week^®.

Princess Cruises will again sponsor the culinary competition, and returning for his third year as judge, Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine—courtesy of Comcast NBCUniversal & Comcast Business—will join a panel of to-be-named judges. Back as the competition host is Jill Whelan, Celebrations Ambassador for Princess Cruises and best known for her role as Vicki Stubing, the Captain’s daughter on the hit television series, “The Love Boat.” Princess Cruises creates memorable vacation experiences for its guests — including exceptional dining.

This year’s competition between U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard teams will return to the fantail of the Battleship IOWA where it took place during the inaugural LA Fleet Week celebration in 2016.

Service members on the competing teams are men and women visiting Los Angeles during the Fleet Week Labor Day weekend celebration Aug. 30 – Sept. 2. They will vie for top-chef bragging rights at the competitive, yet friendly gastronomic event. In preparing their culinary creations, teams will be required to use ingredients that are “standard issue” in military kitchens. Each team will be tasked with making their best version of a “surf & turf” meat and seafood entrée, two sides and a dessert.

Adding local flavor to the fire, this year’s “surf” ingredients will be provided by the San Pedro Fish Market, one of the oldest and most iconic fish markets and seafood restaurants in California. Established in 1956 and made famous by its popular shrimp trays and more recently, the Kings of Fi$h docudrama show, the San Pedro Fish Market will be the one-stop-shop for the four Galley Wars teams, providing the highest quality, freshest seafood ingredients for this year’s “surf & turf” challenge.

This year’s “surf & turf” theme is a nod to the tradition of serving steak and lobster in the military on special occasions or on the eve of special missions.