Photo by Kim Upshaw CS2 Mary Ann Jordan, who has just obtained the level of Certified Sous Chef from the American Culinary Federation, puts the finishing touches on the Italian pasta salad she prepared for a recent command function.

‘‘This certification is one of the best things that has happened to me in my entire career,” she said as she expertly mixed together a blend of fresh vegetables, pasta and seasoning. ‘‘When I found out that I had been awarded this certification I was so excited, I felt like I had just won America’s Top Chef or something.”

Jordan received her culinary degree in October 2006 and attended the ACF training in March 2008. ‘‘I went to Jacksonville to the school for two weeks,” she said.

While Jordan was at her training she was required to fabricate her own steaks from a side of beef, make her own condiments for every dish she prepared and even work with artichokes, something she had never done. ‘‘They gave me this little green vegetable,” she said with a laugh, ‘‘and I said what am I supposed to do with this.’”

Luckily, Jordan had an instructor who took the time to show her how to work with the artichoke and everything else that she encountered for the first time while she studied there. ‘‘Chef would show me how to do something once,” she said, ‘‘then I would have to perfect the skills on my own.”

Jordan, who has served in the Navy for close to 19 years, tries to live her life to the fullest. Like many Sailors before her she has taken the opportunity to learn from all of the experiences serving the U.S. Navy has offered her. ‘‘I always tried to learn something new everywhere I went.”

Whether it be how to make Mongolian Barbeque in Hawaii or learning about blood oranges in Italy, she has always gone above and beyond in an attempt to give the Sailors who eat in her Mess the best experience they can possibly have. ‘‘I always go the extra mile,” she said, ‘‘and my extra mile is learning what people like so I can do my best to give that to them while they are away from home.”

Jordan has some advice for the up and coming in the culinary specialist field. ‘‘Don’t be afraid to try new things, don’t be afraid to ask questions and never be so closed minded that you don’t want to learn because you will pass up so many opportunities when you close your mind to new things.”

Jordan would also like to remind other Sailors in all fields to stay focused on their goals. ‘‘If you can keep your eye on the prize you can achieve those things that you really want out of life.”

Established in 1929 the ACF is comprised of more than 230 chapters and 20,000 members across the United States and is known as ‘‘the Authority of Cooking in America.” ACF certification is a symbol of professionalism by which any culinarian can shape his or her career. There are 14 levels of certification, all of which require specific qualifications in addition to knowledge of culinary nutrition, food safety and sanitation and culinary supervisory management.

For more information about the ACF and its certification, visit www.acfchefs.org.