HYDE PARK, N.Y.—Julio Gerena is
in a wheelchair, his long career in the U.S. Navy and Army forever
behind him. But the 52-year-old recaptured some of the old military
camaraderie while peeling potatoes and chopping cilantro in a crowded
kitchen.
Gerena
was among the first 16 wounded veterans who served during the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars to take part in a healthy cooking "boot camp" sponsored
by the advocacy group Wounded Warrior Project. Former service members once consumed with patrols and sentry posts learned how to poach and saute at the Culinary Institute of America, the renowned cooking school on the Hudson River.
The
veterans learned some kitchen tips, but seemed to enjoy even more the
chance to spend four intense days with people who have faced similar
hurdles.
"There are some
things you can't really get into words, but the Wounded Warrior program
is to me what being in uniform was before: the camaraderie, the trust,"
Gerena said after a long morning in the kitchen. "I met some of these
people just a few days ago, but I share what they went through."
The
Jacksonville, Fla.-based organization runs a range of programs for
wounded veterans at locations ranging from college campuses to ski
slopes. The group brought its first batch of veterans into the kitchen
last week in partnership with the culinary institute. Most of the
students served in the Army, but the Navy and the Marines were also
represented. Their service-related wounds ranged from spinal cord
injuries to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Over
four days, they were lectured on the finer points of knife work or
braising before heading to a classroom kitchen to turn the lesson into
something edible for lunch or dinner.
On a recent morning, the veterans scrambled to pan-sear salmon and saute chicken breasts under the guidance of Chef John
DeShetler. As they clattered pans and joked about a return to kitchen
patrol duty, DeShetler shouted out tips on carrot dicing and meat
slicing.
"Now this is a
flank steak! There's only two per animal, that's why they're so damn
expensive...! They used to give this away!" DeShetler bellowed.
As DeShetler walked the kitchen, 24-year-old Steve Bohn carefully sauteed mushrooms for a ragout in a pan.
The Peabody, Mass., resident had cooked for a Whole Foods Market
before the death of close friend in Iraq inspired him to join the Army
in 2007. Bohn was severely injured the next year in Afghanistan when a
dump truck packed with explosives collapsed the building he was in. He
suffered severe spinal injuries and required reconstructive bladder
surgery.
Bohn no longer
needs a leg brace but he still had a hitch to his step as he moved
through the kitchen. He knows that he cannot resume his old kitchen
career because he can't stand for long or lift heavy boxes. But he liked
the feeling of pushing his limits and being behind a burner again.Read the complete story here
