Stewards Wined And Dined As Thanks For A Great Effort
1 June 2009
Ordinarily, the Wardroom is the domain of the officers onboard HMAS Ballarat; it is their dining room and lounge room rolled into one. The only sailors that enter, are those of the stewards’ category whose role it is to cater for the officers meals and generally keep things in order in the Wardroom. Much of the stewards’ day to day role is similar to those in the hospitality industry ashore; however, the stewards’ also perform additional duties such as Ships Medical Emergency Team and Flight Deck Team. In short, for the officers, the stewards’ perform a vital and much appreciated role, one that often goes without a great deal of recognition.
On 25 May, as Ballarat approached Italy, and the next port of the Northern Trident 2009 (NT09) deployment, the Ballarat officers took the time to show their appreciation for the effort that the stewards make on a daily basis. The tables were turned as the officers became the stewards’, and the stewards’ became the guests for the evening. The doors to the Wardroom “Trattoria” were thrown open by maitre d’ SBLT Travis Kemsley and his able assistants LEUT Andrew Erven and LEUT David Knight. These officers are usually more at home on the bridge or in the Weapons Electrical Engineering Department, however, the team warmed to their new roles as they welcomed a very well dressed Steward Department into the Wardroom for a night of fine dining.
For Northern Trident 09, Ballarat has a team of eight stewards led by PO Peter Caban and Leading Hands Steven Merritt and Rebecca Wotherspoon. These three were joined at the Wardroom “Trattoria” by Able Seamen Kirri-Lee Brazendale, Sarah-Jane Lord and Samantha Cox as well as Seamen Vanessa Florance and Alyson Bergan. As they sat down to dinner they were serenaded by the smooth sounds of Dean Martin as they proceeded to indulge in the three course meal provided to them by their attentive waiters. The meal consisted of soup (cream of chicken), mains (pasta bake, veal parmigana, and chicken breast fillet) and assorted duff (desserts).
After the meal, the stewards were escorted into the Ante Room (the lounge room) where they were presented with a bountiful cheese platter. Here, the Wardroom’s VIP guests made small talk whilst nibbling the cheese which was complimented by a nice “quaffing beverage” of Coke and other assorted soft drink flavours.
At the end of the evening the well fed guests retired to their respective messes to entertain their mess mates with stories of the service they received from the Seaman Officer and the Engineers for a pleasant change.
