Robert Irvine Rounds Out the Year on Week-Long USO Tour to Afghanistan, His Fourth USO Experience in 2015

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 24, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celebrity chef Robert Irvine wraps up his fourth USO experience of 2015, a week-long USO tour to Afghanistan. Jam-packed with USO meet & greets and unit visits, Irvine also led a series of highly spirited, instructional cooking demonstrations – where he walked service members through some of his favorite holiday dishes; oversaw them apply his techniques; and provided culinary tips. ***USO photo link below***

DETAILS:

• One of today's most talented chefs on television, Irvine visited three military bases and entertained 855 service members. Among the bases he visited were Bagram Air Field, Headquarters Resolute Support and Kandahar Air Field.
• Designed to help the USO connect service members with family, home and country, Irvine also squeezed in some time for exercise. Each morning, the chef joined servicemen and women for a round of PT, where he not only kept fit but also bonded with military personnel.
• Chef Irvine also brought along his live culinary show, Robert Irvine Live, on this USO tour – entertaining service members with his unscripted, interactive, challenge-packed live show.
• Known for his muscular physique, delectable dishes and spirited nature, Irvine possesses more than 25 years in the culinary profession. A former member of the British Royal Navy, he has cooked his way through Europe, the Far East, the Caribbean and the Americas, as well as in five-star hotels, on the high seas and even for the Academy Awards. Former host of Food Network's Restaurant: Impossible, Irvine launched the Robert Irvine Foundation in 2014 to help service members and their families.
• Honored most by the opportunities he has had to give back to servicemen and women, Irvine not only designed the menu for both the 2015 and 2014 USO Galas, but also made time to travel to Japan and Patrick Air Force Base, Florida to participate in two USO tours in 2015. To date, Irvine has visited and mesmerized more than 3,000 service members and their families with his over the top culinary skills.

QUOTE:

Attributed to Chef Irvine:

"I knew once I stepped foot in Japan on my very first USO tour earlier this year, there were many more USO tours and experiences in my future… I was instantly hooked. Each USO tour I take is equally as life-changing and my latest USO tour to Afghanistan was no different."

MULTI-MEDIA:

Tour Photos: http://bit.ly/1RINyBe

About the USO

The USO strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.
In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President's Circle Partners: AT &T, the BNSF Railway Foundation, Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Coca-Cola Company, Johnson & Johnson, Kroger, NFL and Four-Star Partners: BIC, ConAgra Foods, FedEx, GEICO, JCPenney, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, TKS and the Wawa Foundation. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this important mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.

About Robert Irvine

With more than 25 years in the culinary profession, Chef Robert Irvine has cooked his way through Europe, the Far East, the Caribbean and the Americas, in hotels and on the high seas. As the host of one of the Food Network's highest rated shows, Restaurant: Impossible, Irvine saves struggling restaurants across America by assessing and overhauling the restaurant's weakest spots. Irvine was previously the host of Food Network's Dinner: Impossible and Worst Cooks in America, has authored two cookbooks, Mission: Cook! and Impossible to Easy, and one healthy living book, Fit Fuel: A Chef's Guide to Eating Well and Living Your Best Life. Irvine is currently on tour with his new, interactive live show Robert Irvine Live, and appears regularly as an expert guest on national morning and daytime talk shows. In 2015, Irvine launched Robert Irvine Foods, a company that features a nutritionally improved line of food products without compromising great taste. Irvine recently established the eponymously named non-profit organization, The Robert Irvine Foundation, in an effort to support military personnel and their families. For more information on Chef Robert Irvine, visit www.ChefIrvine.com. 

A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=38277

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