N 2005, Col. Stewart Navarre,
Coca-Cola in the marinade — was
USMC-Ret., and Capt. Eric Domini-
the best recipe because he was doing
something 99 percent of people
janni, USMC, took on a special mis-
would never do: “Who cooks with
Coca-Cola?” he asks.
sion: “Command of the Grill.” The Their recipes were successful, and
steak-grilling competition, spon-
Navarre and Dominijanni both were
selected to compete in the semifi nals
sored by Weber-Stephen Products
on their respective bases in October
Co., set out to fi nd the best steak rec-
2005 — and from there advanced to
the fi nals in New York City.
ipes from active, reserve, and famous
Although Navarre says he was sur-
prised to make it to the fi nals, Domini-
former U.S. Marines. The winning janni, who has been cooking since he
recipes were featured in a cookbook,
was 7 years old, was not. “Watching
what everyone else was doing, I knew
Command of the Grill: A Salute to
I had a good chance,” he says.
After several months of working
Steak (Weber-Stephen Products Co., he entered in hopes of getting some to perfect their steak recipes, Na-
2006), and 100 percent of the pro- buzz going about the competition at varre and Dominijanni were fl own
ceeds went to four charities benefi t- Camp Pendleton. to New York City during Fleet Week
ing Marines and their families. “I thought it was appropriate to in May 2006 to compete against one
Interested competitors submitted have the senior folks [on base] par- another — as well as Marines from
an original steak recipe and a 50- ticipate,” he says. across the country — to be named
word essay about why their recipe Although he had been grilling “Commander of the Grill.”
was the best. Semifi nal competitions since the late 1980s, Navarre decided For Dominijanni, the fi nals gave
were held on 10 Marine Corps bases to turn to the best cook he knew for him the chance not only to prove
across the country. During the semi- help — his wife, Yana, who created his grilling talent but also to do so in
fi nals, each competitor grilled two Navarre’s recipe, “Combat Steak,” a very familiar area. “I had walked
New York strip steaks, and judges and wrote the essay. up and down that street more times
selected who would be moving on to Dominijanni, who was based at than you can imagine,” the Queens,
the fi nals based on the creativity of Camp Lejeune, N.C., entered the N.Y., native says. “I wasn’t nervous.
the essay and the taste and visual ap- competition for a different reason: I was home.”
peal of the steak. “My master sergeant dared me to,” Navarre says he was just con-
Navarre, who at the time was he says. “I only had one hour to cre- cerned with bringing his best
chief of staff of Marine Corps Instal- ate the recipe.” performance. “I had been practic-
lations West at Camp Pendleton, Dominijanni wrote in his essay ing and rehearsing ever since the
Calif., says when he received infor- that his recipe, “Hot and Tangy New semifi nals. I had to make sure not
mation about Weber’s competition, York Strip Steak” — which includes to make any fatal errors,” he says.
6 0 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R M AY 2 0 0 8
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