Marquis is a 1992 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and worked at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado, a luxury 5-star hotel located at the foot of the Rockies near Cheyenne Lake. According to MyGourmetConnection.com, while working at the Broadmoor Resort, which is relatively close to the Airforce Academy in Colorado Springs, one of the generals attempted to recruit him to become his chef. Initially not interested, Marquis reconsidered after the pot was sweetened with an offer comprising a healthy sign-on package and complete repayment of his student loans. Now that's a sweet deal!
Sixteen years later he's still cooking up gourmet meals. Don't get it wrong, Marquis' military career hasn't been all foie gras and roses. In fact, while serving at the state-of-the-art, troop-feeding dining facility at Fort Drum, N.Y., the military man was deployed a total of four times to Bosnia and Panama.
Now Sgt. 1st Class Rene Marquis' official title is Enlisted Aide for the head of the United States Special Operations Command at MacDill Airforce Base in Tampa, FL. If it sounds impressive, that's because it is...he is one of only 90 people filling this elite position in the whole army.
So what exactly does his job entail? The more appropriate question might be, "what doesn't it entail?" He is responsible for dinner parties, small luncheons, big luncheons, small banquets, and big banquets. The attendees vary but you can be certain at any given time Marquis could be serving anyone, from his colleagues to top commanders to other special dignitaries. The U.S. Army top chef is also a mentor who shares his expertise freely with military culinary students and is an instructor at the U.S. Army Quatermoor School Culinary Center of Excellence.
Here's is Sgt. 1st Class Rene Marquis' menu for the Freedom Chef Challenge:
- Seared yellowtail snapper with citrus beurre blanc and pineapple sauce
- Cold avocado soup garnished with spicy tomato concassé
- Rabbit terrine on a bed of fingerling potatoes with a mushroom mélange and cherry chutney
- Composed mixed-greens salad with seared pheasant with a creamy vinaigrette, blue-cheese tart, artichoke hearts and balsamic glaze
- Panko-crusted grouper with corn custard, red-onion confit and peach purée
- Roasted duck breast on a bed of risotto and baby vegetables
- Cheesecake with macerated fruits and raspberry sauce
To view a video clip from the competition, go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyVMp3Gc1xg.
