The Coast Guard has named the winners of this year’s Forrest O. Rednour Memorial Award for Culinary Specialist (CS) of the Year. Senior Chief Petty Officer Brian Black and Petty Officer 2nd Class Courtney Dute have been recognized by the service for their outstanding achievements.
Black is currently the Command Senior Enlisted Leader and Food Service Officer aboard Coast Guard Cutter Resolute. He was recognized for introducing healthier food options aboard the Resolute and helping 20 crew members affected by hurricanes obtain financial aid, grants, and loans. He also helped reduce costs on food orders and helped finalize the Service’s Certified Sous Chef Apprenticeship Program.
He was especially honored to receive the award given his fellow culinary specialists' talent. “It is truly an honor to have been selected, especially knowing how many dedicated Culinary Specialists there are. There are so many of them [who deserve] this recognition,” he said. “I wouldn't be where I am today without the invaluable support and guidance I've received from so many of my colleagues.”
Black’s favorite part of being a CS mentoring his shipmates. “The people I work with,” he explained, “are a huge part of what makes this job meaningful. Being able to train and mentor those who will eventually step into my shoes is incredibly rewarding. This job can be challenging, but helping my guys grow and supporting them every day makes it worthwhile.” That mentoring includes teaching the next generation the ins and outs of culinary technique, including baking bread and desserts from scratch.
Fellow CS of the Year Award winner Petty Officer 2nd Class Courtney Dute shares Black’s love of serving others through food. As Food Service Officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Abbie Burgess, she mentored and trained a newly reported Petty Officer 3rd class and led the execution of multiple high-profile events for the ship’s crew. Her outstanding work shows her passion for food and her devotion to her shipmates; CS2 put a strong emphasis on the galley being the front line of morale. Dute sees food as a valuable tool to improve mental health. Cooking for others, she noted, is “a good way to get people to open up and come out of their shell.”
With 20 years of fine dining experience, CS2 Dute joined the Coast Guard at the age of 35. “It was a nice change of pace,” she said, “to come into an environment where you have a young people who are away from home for the first time and are so appreciative to have good food.”
Dute is grateful for the support and trust of her crew and leadership aboard Coast Guard Cutter Abbie Burgess. “It was flattering to have [the backing of] both my Executive Petty Officer and Commanding Officer [for the award],” she reflected. “To me, this is just doing my job.”
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