Helmand's kitchen gives troops a taste of home

Cooking Christmas dinner for all the family is often considered one of the most stressful parts of the day.

But Army chef Simon Macey, a former soldier, says preparing the meal for troops on the front line in Afghanistan is one of his most rewarding duties.

Warrant Officer Macey joined the Army 17 years ago and for the past three months has been responsible for frontline feeding for most of the troops in Helmand Province.

Over the harsh winter, he is visiting checkpoints for 24 hours at a time, bringing fresh food and a portable gas stove and providing three substantial hot meals for everyone there.

For the past seven weeks he has been travelling from Camp Bastion to these remote locations by helicopter, vehicle and sometimes on foot.

His operation is dubbed "Op Come Dine With Me", after the Channel 4 show, and troops give him marks out of 10 for his cooking and can dress up in festive costumes.

Warrant Officer Macey said of Christmas Day: "Our plan is to get around all the checkpoints within Task Force Helmand, even the ones that are really difficult to reach, and serve them with a proper roast turkey lunch with all the trimmings followed by traditional Christmas pudding, minus the brandy butter of course."

He said of his mission: "Its aim is to raise spirits and put a smile on their faces. Nothing like this has ever been done before.

"The guys we're serving are doing such a good job. They are living in really rough, austere conditions - just surviving really. They are getting shot at every day and have friends that are badly injured, so it's about time we did something like this."

Warrant Officer Macey, 35, from Folkestone, said the silence when pudding is served and the empty plates at the end of the meal spoke volumes.

He said it was also great to give the troops a rest from having to cook for themselves "and to watch them relax a little and have some food like they may get when at home".

A few weeks ago he walked five kilometres with 50kg of food and treats on his back. But he said: "The feedback we get makes it all worth it. We have received phone calls and emails from some checkpoints telling us the guys are still talking about the meals now."