National Museum of the Marine Corps recruiting contestants for MRE cookoff

Marine Corps Base Quantico -- The National Museum of the Marine Corps is looking for a few good cooks to compete in the Annual MRE Cook-off on April 16. The competition will begin at 11 a.m. and end by 1 p.m. One skilled “chef” will take home the coveted Golden Canteen Cup.

Competitors “blindly” pull two MREs from a box and combine them to create one meal for presentation to a panel of judges. Of course, every good chef adds their own “special ingredients” to a recipe so each contestant will be able to use anything they can fit into a gallon plastic bag (approximately the size of a cargo pocket on the utility uniform). The Museum furnishes heating elements and other basic supplies.

There are only eight competitor spots available and the deadline for entering is April 8. Contact event organizer Michele Flynn at Michele.r.flynn@usmc.mil or by phone at 703 784-4469 to register. Learn more about the MRE Cook-off on YouTube at “National Museum of the Marine Corps – MRE Cook-off.”

The National Museum of the Marine Corps will reopen April 1. During the closure an SBD Dauntless joined the other aircraft soaring over Leatherneck Gallery and new tableau that depicts Marines heading for cover as they exit a Vietnam-era Sikorsky UH-34D helicopter during Operation Starlite in 1965.

The National Museum of the Marine Corps is located at 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Triangle, Va. The Museum, which opened November 10, 2006, brings to life the U.S. Marine Corps’ rich history and honors the commitment, accomplishments, and sacrifices of all Marines. It is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day except Christmas. Parking and admission are free.

For more information on the National Museum of the Marine Corps, call 703-784-6107 or visit www.usmcmuseum.com.