🚢⚓ We're curious to hear your thoughts! What do you think is the biggest challenge in preparing 17,300 meals a day on board the USS Enterprise? Or do you have any personal experience with life on an aircraft carrier or in a large-scale kitchen? Share your stories and opinions below! 👇👇

My dad was a cook in the Navy for 20 years. He was a US Sailor from 1943-1963. God rest his soul.

Some of the best chow I had as a Marine was what I got abord the USS Missouri in the mid 80's while touring her at port at Long Beach. Cooks are so much more important than they are given credit for!

As a former Marine, I did serve on a Navy ship for a short time and I was very impressed with the quality of the food. Probably the biggest challenge in preparing that many meals a day is the logistics involved. Everything from planning meals, cooking, serving and then cleaning up is a massive task.

Thank you to all service men & women .

We had the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force at Cam Rahn Bay Vietnam. Navy always had the best chow.

I am second to none in my admiration for the Navy's ability to keep these sailors fed. It would be considered a massive job for even the largest of restaurants. Planning, ordering, and organizing meals is truly mind boggling!

I was a medic and assisted in the pullout of S. Vietnam. I was stationed for a few months in Guam working with the South Vietnamese Refugees at an Air Force Clinic in the summer of '73 and had the pleasure of seeing this aircraft carrier up close when it was anchored in Apra Harbor with F4's on her deck. She was massive as I sailed near her in a 30 ft. sailboat.

I remember how pleasant it was to go from cold, dark, windy outdoors to the bright, warm, cheery galley at NAS Keflavik in the late 80s. I sure enjoyed getting off my 12+ hour shift in our USAF command post, and filling up on their delicious breakfast. I sure have enormous respect and gratitude for our USN sailors!

Oh my. Spent 4 years in the navy, ‘68 ‘72. From a poor family. Best 4 years of food I ever had. Thank you Navy. Fond memories.

I have to say it is amazing how well the navy does at feeding these sailors. Developing a sense of community and comradery is key to success. I am kind of impressed to see this done by a gov't institution.

Cooks perform a critical and thankless job. I appreciate the guys we had in in desert storm.

My youngest son served on the Enterprise on its last cruise before it was decommissioned. He retired from the Navy after He served 20 years.

The Navy was one of my best experiences in life ! And this was back in the 70s!! USA all the way . Be all you can be…… join the Navy !

In my sales career in the foodservice industry, (a national distributor) I sold to outfits who staged and readied all the goods needed for the military at their ports of embarkment. Their specs were crazy tight. It was a fascinating procedure. I can tell you from first hand experience that they ate well...not any bargain basement off brands or seconds that were available to restaurants and other organizations.

I spent 4 years on the USS ENTERPRISE CVN-65 in the 70s just FYI CVN-65 was decommissioned in 2012 and the new ENTERPRISE CV-80 will not be commissioned until I believe 2026.

Was in the USS Ranger 2 years and the food was fantastic and plentiful.

All I can say, totally awesome. Thank you all service men and women for your time . Thank you for sharing this video. 😊

I was stationed on the Big E from Mar 68 to May 69, I did participate in the ammunition unreps, it was surreal. Other then the flight deck fire in Jan 69 I have pleasant memories of my tour of duty on the "Big E". PS; being in dry dock in Bremerton WA was a visual wonder of the world. The galley crew was always outstanding and won many "E" awards.

I served in the Army in the early 80's. We had good chow & our mess cooks were very good. When we're out in the the field training, we had C-Rats twice a day & 1 hot meal. I had no complaints.

I was a Mess Specialist on the " Big E" from 91-96. Sadly, most of our time was spent in Newport News Shipbuilding undergoing a major overhaul. But, I did get to experience sea trials and a few short trips. But, as a cook.... I can attest to the long hours preparing and serving such a crew. Navy life is a whole different animal, best yrs of my 20yr career in both the Navy and Army were spent on the Big E.

Love this stuff. We get a look into how and why. A look we would never know about without videos like this. Thanks.

After serving on Lexington and Ranger the Big E was heaven..................till I served on The Chucky V. (Carl Vinson)

I just want to make one quick observation. Those beautiful blue plates with all that delicious food on them are not what the regular enlisted person eats? those plates and the food is for the officers. Until very recently, the officers, ate different, better quality foods than the actual sailors do it. Now, however, they eat the same food supposedly. Since the officers were served, better quality food, they were resented by many of the enlisted personnel.

4 MEALS~!!! Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & MidRats...,

Awesome. A well fed soldier is a killing machine. No matter the task they have its our objective to protect the nation.

I was on the Enterprise from 02-05. it got decommissioned in 2012. No way it's making meals right now you figured a site called navy media would know that.

I served on the Midway as an ABE . When the time came for “ vertical replenishment “ my division ( V-2 ) was always tasked with helping off load the provisions on the fan tail . We would then help carry them to the catwalks and aft elevators and hand off to others . But since our berthing compartment was directly below the flight deck some of said product would mysteriously end up in our compartment . Needless to say we ate a lot of fruit and other things which we did not always get in the mess hall for various reasons . We even had a refrigerator in the starboard side “ socket pouring room “ . Our division officer knew our procurement propensities but never really said anything . Those were some good memories of my time on the Midway from 73 - 75 .

Impressive. Very nice. Let’s see Paul Allen’s kitchen.

I enjoyed your video, but CV-74 is the USS John C. Stennis, not the USS Enterprise. USS Enterprise (CVN-65) was removed from service in 2012. All of the galley crews on all the ships do a incredible job. Shalom

I served on her, "Big E" CVAN-65, 71-72 Tonkin Gulf, Yankee Station, Aviation Ordnance, Flight Deck!

WOW! Totally overwhelming! Second thought is....." I sure hope the septic system works well."

I'm always amazed at seeing the aircraft carrier videos and the work that goes into preparing, cooking and serving meals. It's a huge, yet very important aspect of any navy.

I was a Mess Specialist on CV 66 , USS America out of Norfolk.....working in the officers wardroom....damn we ate well. Come mail call, we always got the early call to go to the head of the line... Just bring 4 double cheeseburgers....ahh the good old days.

Take care of our service men and women they protect us! Sending love and prayers ❤❤❤❤

Important to add that not all who work in the galleys are Culinary Specialists. Most junior sailors spend up to 6 months “mess cranking.” Plus the size of freezers and refer boxes are huge.

It’s really neat to learn how things work like a well-oiled machine in our US military. Thank you to every one of you who serve our great Nation!

Thank you for your service.

We always gaves the chow hall guys respect . As our jobs were important , so are theirs !

These are the best naval galley videos, pure carrier right through the video to the end.

You do realize the Enterprise (CV65) was decommissioned years ago and is presently in the process of being scrapped. Good video though!

Are you in a time warp? This video was posted three weeks ago. The Enterprise is being broken up for scrap as we speak. It was taken out of commission several years ago.

Looks like a great experience. Wish I had known. As a poor kid in the 70’s I never had a recruiter talk to him. Never thought about serving. Wish I had.

My cousin was on CVN-65 for four years during the Vietnamese War. When he was checking out to get out of the navy he met a high school friend that had also been stationed onboard for four years and it was the first time their paths were crossed. Floating city.

Thanks for sharing

I want to watch the documentary about the USS Enterprise it was one of the most crucial weapons in our Pacific arsenal if I'm not mistaken during world war 2!! I am so thankful for this video and I think every man and woman that serves on any of our military Ships!! I thank you for your hard work and your dedication!! It's fascinating to see how those big aircraft carriers and big ships like that how they function!! Thank you again for this Wonderful video!!

Totally Awesome I Spent 2 Years On Board The USS Arlington And Looking Back It Was Amazing And Awesome.

Only Red Meat, Steak My Engineering shop, got on a deployment on CV-67, JFK in 1980 was what we "Electrician Mates" got from the "Officer Mess" cooks, for ; fixing the Officers cooking Ranges, ovens. We cooked them in our 'Electric Oven" for 'rewound " Electric motors.

I served aboard U.S.S. TRUXTUN (CGN-35) from 8-78 until 7- 82. The Enterprise made up one of the four surface nuclear powered combat ships brought into service in the early 1960's. The name TRUXTUN lives on as a destroyer operating in the east coast / Mediterranean Sea area to this day.

Appreciate the CGC in the formation in opening scene!

Outstanding

Thank you

served on the uss forrestal in the early seventies no doubt, the food was excellent

Interesting topic thank you to all of our service men and women.

Excellent video

God Bless Navy food!

Wonderful

That ship is like a free Buffet everyday. If was one of the many starving and freezing homeless on the street. I would go to nearest recruitment station and request to work on an Aircraft Carrier.

Some of the best chow I ever had was on a Sause Bros Ocean Tug. A HUGE walk in, with massive storage. A couple 5 gallon kettle cookers. Big flat grill, and gas grill on the side. Milkshake machine was worked constantly. Garlic Hobo Steaks and Toasted Mozzarella Cheese Cauli. She was a magician. Top Shelf Chow. The hardest part and biggest challenge of all that on the Carrier??,, the cleanup.

A friend's dad was flight officer in the 60s on the Enterprise. They got back from Nam and he was OD the day they docked and invited us to dinner. We ate in the senior officer's dining room with linen tablecloths, crystal glassware, fine china with the ship logo, waiters in tuxedos. It was a five star restaurant. He told a story about how they fixed up a room to show visitors when they asked to see the reactor. It had a lava lamp on a table.

Your videos are very good. I’d like to see more of the other ships such as destroyers, frigates, cruisers, areas inside such as a day in the life of a sailor and officer as well as the oilers or USNS vessels that assist with providing everything each ship needs while at sea. Other areas of interest could be the engine rooms from starting up , ventilation systems, waste management etc. Thanks for your great work and to your assistants. 🇺🇸

Staggering; incomprehensible. What an operation. I would have to go to school for 5 years just to learn how to organize and try to run it. Beyond intimidating. The food service logistics and operation must be a nightmare. A standing ovation to the United🇺🇲States Navy. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I had never given the slightest thought to how they feed all those people on such a craft - wow is the word I would use now - of course it's a massive task. I think I would have thought they basically live on MRI type meals, not being served as tho they were in a fancy restaurant ! Those sailors eat better than some of them get at home I'm sure ! A very interesting video - thank you !

Geez with food services like that - when can I get a booking in to this hotel. 🤣

2:42: Pogey Bait!

That galley sure doesn't look like ours on our USS McDermut DD677. Or the food, but our cooks did the best that they could.

Very interesting!

Hello there! Greetings from Malaysia.nice video and the information is complete.hope,more to see your video.

Little brother was on the Enterprise for 6 years.

USA! USA! USA! ...... Now I'm so hungry for some reason!

I got on cvn 65 the day after my 21st bday which was spent in Sicily then next morning flew to Lisbon. July 2001 when got on.

Very beautiful video

I can't waite to see the new u.s.s. Enterprise. Its a massive aircraft carrier. CVN 80 i believe is its number.

Hey Chief...... ! What's for chow ?. YARD BIRD AND SLIDERS !!! move it along.... That's what I remember. Semper Fi

Sorry, 11B Army Infantryman here. We demand powdered green eggs, soggy toast, and mystery meat, out of a mess kit. Pansies.

Even though I was in Naval Reserves the food was incredible when I was on deployment

I was on the carrier Constellation in the 1970's working night shift on the flight. Our meal time was Midrats and mostly consisted of rice and beans, powered eggs and SOS. We survived on Ramon noodles and C rats we swapped with the grunts. Day shift ate better but yo had to get up early and stand inline for hours, it was not worth it with 200 guys in front of you. land duty meals were a lot better ! Still miss the SOS.

I think that is AMAZING. As a Swede I really want to visit sometime

I did 20 years as a Navy Cook. They do not use gas or propane to cook on ships as your video implies.

At the 1:34 mark, watch the guy on the forklift on the ship in the background. His helmet goes flying off. Must have been pretty windy on deck. 😂

Wish I could eat that good

This is a topic that's been covered a number of places on YT. But I don't remember anyone ever getting into the numbers like you have; *jeezus* that's a lot of food service.

Sailed with the Enterprise in 90-91

Wait, what? Beer? I thought US navy ships were dry?

Great video! On the Enterprise, are cooking and heating done with gas or electricity?

I was on KITTYHAWK in the 60s and it wasn’t anything like this.

There is no USS Enterprise. The most recent ship named Enterprise, CVN-65, was deactivated in 2012, officially decommissioned in 2017, and is being dismantled. The next ship to be named Enterprise, CVN-80, is not even halfway through its construction in Newport News, VA.

Things have changed drastically since 1974 aboard the USS FDR CVA-42🥴🇺🇸

my dad was on CVN 65 the USS Enterprise it was decommissioned and scrapped the next the CVN 80 i think the construction has not started yet

USS Carl Vinson CVN 70 I was on the 96' westpac. Vis Per Mare!

My.late.uncle serve in the uss enterprise .he send us in the philippines 2 very thick albums of every day activities in the aircraft carrier.

This makes my carriers on I was on in the early 60"s look obsolete.

Although this video could apply to almost any aircraft carrier the Enterprise a has been out of service for years now and possibly decomissioned. It now sits gutted outside of a building that I worked in for 30 years. Sad but nothing lasts forever.

im a civilian so i dont know, but ive heard it said that "culinary specialist" is a rank with weight and authority just like any other, owing to their importance. if a CS3 give you an order, you do it. is that right?

Do the mess crews aka culinary specialists have other crew members to do the table wipe-downs and sweeping/mopping?

Wow

Nice of Kermit to narrate this video.

I never heard of somebody getting a special meal on their birthday. I was on 3 different ships and I never had one.

God bless them🫡❣

My Goodness! How things have changed. I was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway, CVA041 in 1970 to 1973. I was in the OI Division which mainly said I was a radar operator of some kind. There were about 100 guys in the OI Division and certainly no women. My sleeping compartment was about 120 guys stacked three deep. It was a 24-hour sleeping compartment when underway. We usually had 8-hours on and 8-hours off or 12-on and 12-off. When underway with the airing, there were 5,000 people onboard. I usually ate in the forward dinner which cooked hamburgers and French fries all day. It took about 2 hours to get through main dining hall and the food wasn't all that great. About the only thing I can remember about the food is the "shoe leather" roast beef and the terrible peanut butter cake every single day for desert. There was no ice cream as I recall. Oh, the hamburgers were also called "hockey puck hamburgers" because that's what the tasted like and look like. Still, you can eat about anything with enough ketchup poured on it! I also marvel at the stores that are apparently now on the ship. We had very small compartments that stocked candy bars but most guys didn't have enough money to purchase anything but cigarettes! Yeah, most of my time aboard the ship was a combination of working, playing poker and sleeping. Eating wasn't anything to look forward to unless you went on Liberty! Oh, yeah, some times during the midnight watch someone would bring up a 5-lb bag of sugar that had donuts stuffed in it. Boy, was that yummy! 😁😃