FORT DRUM — The post is sending eight of its best cooks to the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition at Fort Lee, Va., next week.

The soldiers of Fort Drum's culinary arts team, managed by Sgt. 1st Class Roy W. Richard Jr., have been preparing for the competition for the past month. It is sponsored by the American Culinary Federation and is the largest contest put on by the organization.

Sgt. Richard, also a certified executive chef, said 165 contestants from 21 teams will participate. He said although it is called the Army Culinary Arts Competition, it was recently opened to all branches of the military.

According to Sgt. Richard, the 14-day competition includes challenges in live cooking, team cooking and showpieces.

The live cooking involves soldiers preparing dishes based on a main ingredient, such as chicken or lamb, within a set time. Team cooking is a variation on a relay with soldiers racing to complete culinary tasks, such as deboning a chicken, and the showpiece event challenges soldiers to create an artistic table setting.

Fort Drum's table will include chocolate sculptures of moose, loons and Mount Rushmore.

Sgt. Richard said the soldiers also will be able to attend classes and seminars while at the competition.

"It's a training event," he said.

Sgt. Richard said the soldiers will compete for medals and awards in various categories in their events, including most artistic and judges' favorite.

According to Sgt. Richard, all of the soldiers on the team have been or will be deployed.

"They're soldiers first and cooks second," he said.

Sgt. Richard said while many of the cooks have duties outside of the kitchen during deployments, some do continue their cooking while overseas.

Spc. Ashleigh D. Wall cooked during her deployment to Iraq with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and said it was a difficult task.

"We didn't cook in a real kitchen," she said.

Spc. Wall had no professional cooking experience before being assigned to the kitchen and said she is always learning about the profession.

"I think this competition will help me a lot," Spc. Wall said.

Pvt. Marinade S. Mutimer attended culinary school before joining the Army. She said she has a passion for baking and hopes this competition will be a steppingstone to the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team, which travels around the world competing.

"This is like my dream, right here," Pvt. Mutimer said.

The other soldiers competing with the culinary arts team are Spc. Michael J. Soto, Spc. Kelly J. Barton, Pfc. Roderick C. Ranada, Spc. Warren S. Dudley, Pfc. Michael R. Fichman Sr. and Pvt. Cristina Loya.