Portrait & Profile

Cooking for Commandant

By Sgt. Clinton Firstbrook HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS, Washington

Rodriguez enlisted in 1995 as a food service specialist, but began his cooking career long before he graduated from boot camp. From his grandparent's kitchen to Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune, Rodriguez worked his way up the food chain earning a reputation as a top-notch chef. Today, his hors d’oeuvres and side dishes are being served to the Corps' top brass in one of the upper-echelon cooking billets inside the Pentagon.

  • Sgt. Frank Rodriguez 
  • Age: 32
  • Hometown: Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
  • Military Occupation: 0Food Service Specialist
Pvt. John C. Sanchez
Photo by Sgt. Leo A. Salinas
  1. How does your job start each day?
    Usually around 5 a.m. by making water and coffee runs. Then it’s off to breakfast and I start getting everything ready for the Secretary of the Navy.

  1. Any interesting stories to tell during your time in the executive dining room?
    No spills or plates drops if that’s what you’re asking. A perfect record on that one.

  2. What’s your next step or goal in life?
    I have nine years before I hit my 20, so I’ll still be around for a while. From here I’d like to work at the White House as one of the cooks, but my ultimate goal is to become (an executive) chef.

  3. Could a Marine get a job at any five-star restaurant after working here in the Pentagon?
    This is a good platform to catapult from, but you still have to get certified and finish your culinary education.

  4. Do you have a favorite cooking show?
    I try to catch Emeril Lagasse’s show on the Food Network every now and then.

  5. How did you get this job?
    After spending eight years in the fleet, I was asked if I wanted a job here in Washington. Before they gave me the job though, I had to come for a two-week tryout. It was kind of like a screening process. I was checking them out while they were checking me out.

  6. Do you have any meals that stand out from the rest of the menu?
    My favorite dish to prepare is grilled mango-chicken. That was a big hit during the Sunset Parade season when I came here in 2003.

  7. Are there any special recipes not found in the Marine Corps’
    cook books?
    Mini guava-flavored empanadas and our mayo-ketchup sauce. There are more, but I don’t want to give away all my secrets.

  8. What type of food would you like to specialize in when you become a chef?
    When I open my restaurant, it’s mostly going to be Caribbean food.

  9. Are you the top chef in the kitchen at home as well?
    My wife makes the Puerto Rican dishes, and I do the international meals. That’s the setup we have.

  10. Are there any dishes you don’t like to prepare?
    Chitterlings because of the smell, and creamed beef because of how it looks. Creamed beef was also the first meal I had to prepare when I joined the Corps. For a month, I made it every night until I finally got it right. Maybe that’s why I still hate it.

  11. Being around the Corps’ top generals have you ever heard any
    interesting stories or comments?
    Sometimes you do walk into sensitive conversations, but the first rule for this job is always be professional and never lose your bearing. What is said in the dining room stays in the dining room.

  12. What’s the golden rule for working in the executive dining room?
    Don’t let the coffee run out, because it’s the first thing the generals always ask for. Coffee runs the Marine Corps.