NATO opens kitchen to all

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Armando A. Schwier-Morales
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  A Greek, an American, a German and their dependents walked up to the bar, a salad bar. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization compound International Dinning Facility recently opened its doors to all personnel with access to Ramstein offering vegetables, drinks and food Aug. 6, 2014.

Until the recent change, an escort was required along with several days of processing time to dine at the NATO Headquarters Allied Air Command building 313. The change came after a desire to not only offer a new dinning facility, but a multinational experience.

"We eased the process of getting into the dining facility with the intent of increasing interaction and giving others a chance to experience the quality food they have here," said Air Force Col. Mark Hering, NATO Headquarters Allied Air Command base support group commander.

The facility offers three different main options, from four to six euros, as well as salads, drinks and a variety of other options.

The kitchen is open Mondays to Fridays 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., as well as offering a coffee bar from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The international dinning facility only takes euros and to enter the facility, Ramstein members are required to stop by the visitor center, building 312, to obtain a pass. Once beyond the main gates a short walk in to the building and the flags of NATO will come into view overlooking the facility.

Twenty-eight nations make up NATO, with 26 represented in the facility. With this in mind, the kitchen is slated to have one day a month dedicated to many of the NATO nation's food and people.

"What I am most excited about is increasing the interaction between NATO headquarters and the entire base through this dinning facility," said Hering. "To be able to have a dining experience with other countries and meet their people is going to be a unique opportunity that I am proud of."

Hering is not the only one satisfied, one French adjudant-chef (E-9 equivalent) that helped make an all access dinning facility a reality is pleased of what it is becoming.

"I must admit, when I first entered the international dinning facility I was impressed and proud because you realize what you are part of," said French air force Adjudant-chef Yann Schweyer, Headquarters Allied Air Command real life support. "Right now in the same frame, I can see the planes in the sky, the NATO nation's flags flying, hear all the different languages in the same area at the same time and taste some of their food. Then you really realize that this is a multinational environment. I am part of this and I am in the middle of it."

Once closed to all but a few willing to cook up the right paper work and find a sponsor, the kitchen has opened its doors to all with access to Ramstein and scheduled to publish a weekly menu in the Kaiserslautern American newspaper and Ramstein Facebook.