European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 15, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 18 a the stars and stripes saturday june 15, 1991 faces a no places. From wire reports Railroad passengers with memories of microwave dinners serve Don plastic plates might have trouble digesting the news that Amtrak has selected a a a chef of the but the National rail passenger service is rolling with a finer diner on its Long distance trains these Days. Linen China real glassware fresh Flowers and Good food Are Back. The Champion chef is Louis Pena 35, of los Angeles who beat nine fellow dining car chefs during a two Day Competition sponsored by Amtrak at the culinary Institute of. America at Hyde Park n.y., in late May. Pena triumphed by preparing a gourmet meal from a a mystery baskets of ingredients he received just before the final Cook off. Accustomed to a lurching swaying Kitchen on wheels Pena made Quick work of a tossed salad splashed with Vinaigrette. He also produced a pork chop a la bord Clairc sauteed Broccoli glazed car rots and potato croquettes the chefs Competition partly a Public relations attempt by the National rail passenger service to lure customers to its dining cars which suffered culinary disaster in the Early 1980s As a result of budgetary cutbacks imposed by Congress. 1 a a dining car Crews were slashed in half. Tablecloths fresh Flowers glasses China and flatware disappeared. The food consisted of vending machine snacks or Frozen dinners in a microwave and served with plastic knives and Forks on paper place Mats. After two years of austerity Amtrak pleaded with Congress to loosen its purse strings or risk losing customers angered by bad food and poor service. Congress relented and Welch said the dining cars Are getting Hack on track. Amtrak a 13 Long distance trams now boast a full menu of hot meals prepared by chefs. V prices Range Quot from $4 for a typical on Louis Pena of los Angeles serves up a two handed Winner at Amtrak s chef of the year Competition. Breakfast or the cheapest lunch to $13 for a Steak dinner with All the trimmings. A cooking on a train is fun and also it is difficult a Pena said. A one of the funniest things is cooking eggs a he said. A when you re going 90 Miles an hour eggs Are something you can to control. I make Good scrambled eggs but when a customer asks for Over easy there a no you can do it right. A if the train makes a sudden Stop the egg will run from one end of the griddle to the other or slide off to the floor. I think to myself a what a happening i put it there a minute a civil rights museum Coritta Scott King is to be on hand in Memphis tenn., the first week of july at the dedication of a Long sought civil rights museum at the Lorraine Motel where her husband assassinated in 1968. Museum organizers said King will speak at a july 2 banquet honouring the foot soldiers of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Cameo appearance one of the surprises of the new film a Robin Hood a Prince of thieves is the Brief appearance by Oscar Winner Sean Connery As the King of England. He shows up As King Richard the lion hearted in the last minute of the movie to bless the marriage of Robin to Marian. The appearance kept secret and comes As a pleasant Surprise to audiences. He receives no screen credit. Connery once played Robin Hood in the 1976 film a Robin and Marian a premiere Magazine also reported that Connery collected a half million dollars for the Brief House fan a a a a a a a. I a. Singer Randy Travis says president Bush an enthusiastic country music fan has taken a personal the Success of his song a Point of Light a Bush used the phrase a a thousand Points of Light during the 1988 presidential Campaign to symbolize Volunteer efforts. At the urging of a presidential aide two Nashville tenn., songwriters composed the song about americans helping one another. Travis released the tune about eight weeks ago and it has climbed to no. 13 on billboard magazines country music Chart. He played it for Bush in March in a performance at Fords theater in Washington. A i talked to or. Bush shortly after. It funny because he asking How it doing a Travis said. A i said a Well we be got a great Start most every radio station in the county is playing he real Happy about m Nan stars and stripes Deedee Arrington Duke assistant City editor bureaus. Keeping you in touch keeping you informed. Deedee Arrington Doke has gone from Bureau chief to chief of bureaus. Previously our Kaiserslautern Bureau chief Dee Dee is now assistant City editor for bureaus responsible for nine news offices in Europe and in Washington and their coverage of local news and events As Well As goings on in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill. After joining stripes in january 1988, Deedee spent More than three years in Kaiserslautern covering Safe hqs., numerous air bases and the Kaiserslautern military Community. Deedee also spent five weeks at our saudi Arabia news Bureau where she covered Christmas Day festivities with an air Force Wing a woman a look at driving in saudi Arabia and Safe personnel deployed to Qatar. A a a \ Quot a a native of Seattle wa., Deedee has an extensive background in journalism and radio broadcasting to include writing and reporting for daily and weekly newspapers and As news director for the a Cox and Kfir radio stations in Oregon. Her work has won numerous state and regional awards and even a key to the City presented to her by the mayor of Tigard Ore. If you have a local news tip or a Good Story idea give Deedee a Call during Normal duty hours at civilian 06155-601255 or ets 348-8255. A Ltd v v to it a a to a l s t a is \ a. A
