Crew Meals

[WYR4481]

I'm going to take the positive road and state that some of the best meals I have had in the last couple years have been on GLF boats. I was very pleased. Also have had great meals on CML fleet boats.

Grizzly, if you had to compare one fleet to the next, which one would you say has the best food? GLF or CML? I haven't sailed but I wish I would have. I did get a tour of the AMA once, and got to have dinner. It was really good. I was invited aboard the Great Republic a while back and had a great Roast Beef sandwich. A friend of mine on the Joe Block said they had good food when he was there to. I was just curious what fleet you thought was the best, food wise. Smooth Sailing!

[johnfrombrighton]

My father was never a Great Lakes sailor, but it was a meal on a Great Lakes ship that he would remember all his life.

In 1940/1941 (approximately) my father was riding his bicycle along the Snye. just outside of Wallaceburg, Ontario & saw the Ben E Tate unloading gravel at a small dock. My father got off his bike, stuck out his thumb, like he was hitchhiking, & was invited (up a ladder off the end of the self-unloading boom) onto the Tate.

I don't know all the details but my father would frequently talk about the roast beef and mashed potato dinner he had with Capt Nemo (I think that was his name) as the Tate sailed, about 3 miles up the Snye to Wallaceburg.

My father thought the food on the boats was really good.

[Revalator]

I'm busy getting ready for a new job

I write a blog called Great Lakes chef

http://greatlakeschef.blogspot.com

Dosent have everything but not all

I'll write more

[Revalator]

Wasn't there a poster on this forum by the user name Revelator who was seeking, and then found a position on a boat as a cook last year or the year before? personally, I'd like to hear his take on this.

Yep that's me, I'll reply later when I have more time

[N Oldie]

Columbia had Orval Wollan as chief cook on the Columbia Star. He was a great feeder who also managed to watch the budget. The late Captain Ray McGrath was long on praise for Orval in his book. Orval retired probably 20 or more years ago-

[Guest]

I work for ASC and am somewhat surprised by what is said here regarding the food on their boats. I know they have a budget but I have never felt like we lack for anything on this boat. The determining factor is the person cooking. Fortunately the cook on my boat is exceptional and his relief is pretty good too.

[Denny]

Ah, that might be the one Calvin Stratham that I was thinking of there Guest. I think he may have had some recipes possibly in one of the cookbooks about the Great Lakes or something like that at least. There was also a DVD put out a few years back and it had the Oglebay Norton featured and I think he was on the DVD if I recall as well.

[Guest]

There was another good cook for Oglebay at that time as well. He worked on the Oglebay Norton itself and his first name I think was Clarence? This guy was also very good and I met him once and he also gave me a bag of cookies once as well. Those were the good 'ole days on ships.

I think you're talking about Calvin Statham, he was on the Oglebay Norton for a while. When I was on the Earl W. Oglebay Bob Zieinski was the cook he was about average. The second cook was a younger guy from Toledo and I'm not a huge fan of sweets but that guy could bake! ONCO ships were the last ones I worked on that had porters. With GLF We had a cook on the Roger Blough (Al??) and I swear we had something involving sausage and cabbage at least 3 days a week. I still can't say enough about Ben Kooi when I was at Bethlehem but I'm going to bet he's retired (last I knew he was with CML). There was also Bill Elliott (not the race driver), and Steve Klemens at Bethlehem.

[Grizzly]

I'm going to take the positive road and state that some of the best meals I have had in the last couple years have been on GLF boats. I was very pleased. Also have had great meals on CML fleet boats.

[Guest]

Speaking of cookbooks, when I sailed there was one aptly named "How To Make A Steamboat Float."

That was from American Steamship Company. I once saw a copy in a bookstore in Sturgeon Bay but didn't buy it (darn). I just did a web search and found the link below... btw I do have the Ships of the Great Lakes Cookbook but its recipes are for feeding a whole crew..you need a good calculator to figure them out for serving just a few people.

http://www.amazon.com/Steamship-Float-O ... 0937360058

[Denny]

I once knew a steward that worked for the Oglebay Norton ships and was very good and well liked and respected. Years ago I was fortunate to go aboard the Wolverine while in lay-up in Toledo as a friend of mine knew the cook. Anyway, he made me a couple of hotdogs for lunch and they were great! Before going aboard on the Wolverine, he was also on the Oglebay Norton and the first time I met him (the cook) he made me an ice-cream sundae that I will never forget. Later during the 1999 season in early July at the Soo, he was on the Wolverine and made a rare trip up through the locks at the time. The point is though, when they locked through he came out on the deck and gave the USACE line-handlers a bag of cookies to give to me. Needless to say when the tourists saw that, they sure did envy me on that one LOL! Even inside the Visitor Center they wanted some of my cookies which I of course shared with them. The cook is now since retired as he had some back issues or something. There was another good cook for Oglebay at that time as well. He worked on the Oglebay Norton itself and his first name I think was Clarence? This guy was also very good and I met him once and he also gave me a bag of cookies once as well. Those were the good 'ole days on ships.

[ibm]

in the late fiftys my brother was the chief on the Sylvania then the G.A. Tomlinson I don't remember the cooks name but they were fantstic

[eddyfitz]

Way back in 1957 aboard the ben w. calvin we had a head cook, assistant cook, night cook and 2 porters that worked the galley. As my father would say we had a saluberious repast i.e. good meals.

[Guest]

I ran a couple of galleys on the lakes and always kept track of how much I was spending while keeping the crew happy with my meals. Besides your typical 3 squares a day I always had a midnight lunch and plenty of sugary goodie; some I baked by hand some were store bought. 33% was my range for keeping food costs, and some leftovers could be put into soups (always from scratch) or really tossed out. I always had one or two crew that would complain but I went out of my way to make sure they were fed and satisfied. I am saddened with what I have heard with this thread, however, I am not surprised. I wanted to go back to the pilot house so I really haven't taken another stewards job since. I always thought though, when I was ready to retire, I might be lured back into the galley. That is, if I have no budget restraints and I can run MY galley the way I saw fit. I always hated sub-par food on any type of boat I worked on. Meals are one of they few things us sailors look forward to on these boats.

[middlerouge]

Wasn't there a poster on this forum by the user name Revelator who was seeking, and then found a position on a boat as a cook last year or the year before? personally, I'd like to hear his take on this.

[garbear]

Speaking of cookbooks, when I sailed there was one aptly named "How To Make A Steamboat Float."

[Scott]

A friend of my pops sailed on a U.S. Steel freighter in the 60's and 70's and they came to refer to bad cooks as "Sanitation Experts" (Garbage Men) Funny, a few of the cooks never caught on to that one :)

[guest]

some cooks are great but there are some that honestly would not be able to boil tar for the highways...great food equals great morals on a ship.

[Guest]

I have never sailed but have spent 30 years in the food industry. I am familiar with cost and time management.Simple food can be amazing if prepared correctly.As a cook I worked long hours but found it extremely rewarding.Everyone has different tastes...it can be a challenge. A body needs fuel...happy stomachs make happy crews.In my experience pre-cooked or pre-prepared meals actually cost more...even with the labor factor...maybe a "Boat Recipe" cookbook would be helpful. Food cost is a challenge we all deal with...but with a little knowledge and creativity you can create good down home food. Hats off to the cooks...I know your jobs not easy..

They have one.
http://www.cookbookpublishing.com/

[guest]

Just a few nicknames: Hot Dog Harry, Botulism Bob, The Garbologist. Others are unfit for this forum.