NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2007 21
From green
to Blanc
ROYAL Marine Chef Cpl
Jeremy Hooper and his wife
Jane beat off all their rivals to
win BBC2’s The Restaurant.
The competition came down
to a taut cook-off which saw the
Royal Marine competing with
his rivals to impress the toughest
judge of all – Raymond Blanc’s
mother.
The couple took over a restau-
rant in Raymond Blanc’s home-
town of Besançon and set up a fine
dining experience for the master
chef, his family and friends.
On the BBC TV show Jeremy
said: “To get a round of applause
off Raymond and his friends
made Jane cry and it was very
emotional.
“I just want to give Raymond
a big hug and say thank you very
much for what you’ve done for
us.”
When he announced the win-
ners, Raymond Blanc praised the
couple’s commitment and high
● Jane Hooper, Raymond Blanc, and Royal Marine Cpl Jeremy
standards in the restaurant.
Hooper celebrate after the couple won the BBC2 competition The
Jeremy’s Commanding Officer
Restaurant
at the Commando Logistics
that he transferred into the chef’s competing at this level week in
Regiment Col Will Taylor joined
branch and learned his cookery week out with very little time to
the audience on the BBC3 follow-
skills at HMS Raleigh’s Catering prepare was the most stressful
up programme You’re Fried! after
School. thing we have ever undertaken.”
the announcement.
Last year in Aghanistan Jeremy The couple set out to offer
In true Naval style, Col Taylor
was among the Marine chefs who a restaurant which was modern,
carried a message from the First met Gordon Ramsay during his
classy and meticulous, where din-
Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon whirlwind visit to Camp Bastion
ers would leave with memories of
Band – “Bravo Zulu”. for Christmas lunch.
excellent food and service.
Jeremy is now taking a 12- He says that this change of pro-
While this Marine may have
month career break to follow fession was in preparation for life
swapped his green beret for a
up on the prize he won on the outside the service.
chef’s hat, he paid tribute to the
show – setting up a restaurant in But despite his time in the
training and experiences that he
Oxfordshire in partnership with world’s conflict zones he admits
had gained in his Service career.
the French master chef. that the BBC TV programme was Picture: LA(Phot) Jannine Hartmann
He originally joined the Marines one of his most demanding chal- ● Lt Cdr Rob Mannion explains submarine escape training to the
in 1996 as a driver, and served in lenges. Duchess of Cornwall at the Submarine Escape Training Tank at Fort
Iraq as the theatre heated up in “My career in the Royal Marines Blockhouse as they watch an instructor rise to the surface
2002 and 2003. has prepared me for a number of
It was only three years ago stressful situations,” he said, “but
Blue blood
PUTTING the Royal into Royal qualified helicopter pilot, saw
Navy, the Duchess of Cornwall the poor weather at first hand
and Prince Michael of Kent have when Montrose’s Lynx brought
paid visits to the Navy in the north him safely in to land with wind
and south. speeds of up to 30 knots across
The Duchess, who is the deck.
Commodore-in-Chief of Naval The royal visitor met with some
Medical Services, visited the of the crew on board the warship,
Submarine Escape Training Tank and watched a night-time replen-
(SETT) at Fort Blockhouse in ishment at sea between Montrose
Gosport, where she was shown a and the USNS Laramie.
demonstration of escape training. Commanding Officer Cdr Andy
Meanwhile the Honorary Rear Hobgen said: “It was an honour
Admiral Royal Naval Reserve – or to host a member of the Royal
Prince Michael of Kent – headed Family at sea.
up to Scotland to see Neptune “Unfortunately the weather
Warrior in action. wasn’t kind, but it gave Prince
The Prince spent a night on Michael a good insight into how
board Type 23 HMS Montrose off effectively the ship operates on a
the north-west coast of Scotland. range of tasks, even in the worst of
The Prince, himself a conditions.”
● Private Katie Williams completes the assault course
Picture: Nicki Dunwell
Mud transfusion
MEDICAL students from all HMS Raleigh said: “This is the
three Services ‘enjoyed’ training at first time the RCDM has trained
HMS Raleigh in Cornwall. at Raleigh.
A group of around 50 trainee “The aim was to put together
nurses, operating practitioners a dynamic and challenging com-
and radiographers from the Royal
mand and leadership package,
Centre for Defence Medicine
which would give the students the
hauled themselves though mud
opportunity to exercise and work
and over barriers in a range of
within military ethos.”
physical activities including the
assault course.
Submarine
They also fought to save their
ship in Raleigh’s purpose-built
simulator that rocks from side to
streets
Rocket men
side and fills with water.
AUSTRALIAN Naval Base
Col Philip Harrison, director of
HMAS Penguin hosted veteran J
training at the RCDM, said: “This
K Moore who spent some years
TWO workers, Mitch Hamilton and Gordon Walker (pictured
military training is fundamental to
in the 1950s and 60s on loan to
above), from the Nuclear Repair Section in Clyde Naval Base
military healthcare professionals
the Australian and New Zealand
showed off their specialist knowledge during International
in preparing them for the rigours
navies.
Rocket Week up in Scotland.
of their first appointment.
He found a warm welcome for
Although we can neither confirm or deny that the base has any
“Without exception, these
Naval veterans, saying: “We truly
connection with such matters, these men have some knowledge
young people of whatever Service
have not been forgotten. I was
of rockets as they are members of the Scottish Aeronautics and
can expect to be deployed or shown photos of different boats
Rocketry Association.
involved in operational commit- and crews, and around the base.
“We were both involved with the base’s robot wars team,”
ments during their first tour. “The Australians have named
explained Mitch. “And then Gordon got involved with making a
“It is military training such as many of the streets within the
couple of small rockets with his wee boy. We all went to an event
this which puts the clinical com- base after our submarines –
and got hooked from there.”
ponent into context.” Telemachus, Tabard, Trump and
Organiser Lt Paddy Beegan of Taciturn among others.”
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