GOOD EATS — Byron (Cooky) Vinyard prepares ’ol fashioned military chow using a mobile military field kitchen that he spent 12 years acquiring the equipment, utensils and other items to build. His kitchen will be at the Pacific Combat Zone until March 16. — Standard-Radio Post/Richard Zowie
By Richard Zowie —
Some might mistake Byron Vinyard for Col. Sherman Potter from the long-running CBS Korean War comedy “M*A*S*H.”
But instead of wearing surgical scrubs, “Cooky” Vinyard dons an apron and is a cook on the go.
Cooky, the father of Admiral Nimitz Foundation director of marketing/public relations Brandon Vinyard, is doing a display of his authentic, fully-operational WWII kitchen at the Pacific Combat Zone. His kitchen will be serving chow until March 16.
On Friday, Vinyard cooked and served up “SOS”, a field cuisine best described as seasoned chipped beef and gravy served on toast.
“I was too old to be in the infantry,” joked Vinyard, regarding why he began collecting the tools, equipment and utensils to build this field kitchen. “I’ve always loved to cook, and my sons encouraged me to put together a field kitchen. This is it, 12 years later.”
For some, just trying to successfully locate a few vintage WWII items can be challenging enough, even with eBay and frequent visits to flea markets.
Vinyard has an extra edge: he described himself as a mix of three reality shows that deal with locating unusual or rare items: “American Pickers,” “Pawn Stars” and “American Restoration.”
“When people find out you do this, and they’ll tell you they know where a range stove is,” he said. “They saw a ladle or saw something else. You’re constantly on the lookout.”
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