‘All-day dining’ aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth as Royal Navy carrier undergoes revolutionary culinary trials

Major changes to how sailors are fed aboard ship are being trialled on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the home of the “all-day dining” trials, where personnel can be fed anytime instead of having set meal times. The 65,000 tonne warship is at the centre of the ‘Generational Change to Feeding’ programme while undergoing drills off the Scottish coast.

Warrant Officer 2 “Barney” Barnes, HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Catering Warrant Officer, said: “Everyone onboard is busy, so giving people a chance to eat at a time that suits them and their working pattern should be a big help to a lot of people. For example, we were finding many of our watchkeepers would skip breakfast to prioritise rest after a busy watch.

“This new way of feeding allows them to still be able to have something to eat, which in turn increases both their morale and operational effectiveness.”

Experts – notably Fleet Caterer Warrant Officer 1 Wes Cain and senior caterer Chief Petty Officer Chris Roberts of the Navy’s premier training organisation, FOST, nutritionists and scientists from the Institute of Naval Medicine – have been looking at how the Navy feeds its men and women at sea. The aim is to modernise it while prioritising nutrition, food choice, and flexibility so personnel can be fed at multiple times.

The emphasis is on quick, easy, healthy, tasty and fresh food, with catering personnel batch cooking to keep up with the demand of a large ship’s company. HMS Queen Elizabeth has two main galleys, with the forward area being deemed as a ‘grazing’ galley.

This is where sailors can access light bites form 9am to 6pm. Options on offer include salmon bagels, fruit salad, and toasted paninis. The aft galley continues to provide the more traditional three meals a day. Barney addded: “Our golden rule is that we’re not taking anything away. There will still be meals served at set times; all-day feeding gives our sailors options to eat something else instead.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth hosts a 50-strong catering team, who at times can be tasked with feeding a ship’s company of around 1,600 men and women. It’s hoped that the grazing model spreads out the workload throughout the day.

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Logistics Officer Adam Cook said: “A huge part of why we introduced this was to balance our caterers’ workload against the demands they’re facing. Our goal is to make catering easier in the long run. Spreading demand throughout the day will ease some of the pressure on those working regular galley shifts.”

“The chefs are embracing the opportunity this is giving them – the type of food and portion sizes means that they can be creative and add their personal flair to food presentation, which can be difficult when bulk cooking for meal times. As for the ship’s company, we’ve had nothing but positive feedback.”

The changes are proving a hit with the personnel. Communications specialist Able Seaman Scott Rhodes: “It’s good to have the flexibility especially if you miss lunch due to exercises.”

Shipmate and fellow communications rating Able Seaman Rowan Biggs added: “It is great for watchkeepers and gives us more flexibility over eating times.”