Chef’s Connection
Operator Interviews
Chef Bernard Russ
Chef Matt Kline
Chef Todd Foutty
Steve Hammel
Chef Jonathan Dye
Steve Hammel
Steve Hammel
Dining Services Program Manager
U.S. Navy, Southwest Region
San Diego, CA
Dish: Chili Biscuits (Wellington), Denver Yeast-Raised Potato Biscuits
They say good things come in small packages, and that’s what U.S. Navy personnel at San Diego’s military dining facilities are discovering in Steven Hammel’s Denver Yeast-Raised Potato Biscuits. Hammel, Dining Services Program Manager, developed what has become a signature recipe after a dining service marketing manager brought in deep fried cinnamon biscuits made with Nature’s Own® Potato Pearls® Premium Mashed Potatoes. He felt that a savory version would have a lot of potential. Hammel has hit upon a popular menu item by filling biscuit dough with Quick-Start® Home Style Chili and then baking it until golden brown to create the hand-held Chili Biscuit (Wellington). “It’s like a Chili Wellington,” explains Steve. “It’s amazing, because you have the sweet taste with the chili filling. You bite into it and get all of these flavors.” The Chili Biscuits are now available at lunch on “Tex-Mex Day” every Thursday at the sprawling military complex, where Hammel is responsible for military dining services. So far, he reports, it’s been a hit among those seeking sustenance and convenience, plus a bit of comfort food. “People find that it’s a fun food and it’s different.