MCRD PARRIS ISLAND/ERR, S.C. -- Professional chefs are well known for being highly temperamental individuals. Marines are not exactly known for their friendly demeanor, either.
Now, imagine Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Millican, the enlisted aide and personal chef to Brig. Gen. Paul E. Lefebvre, commanding general, MCRD Parris Island/Eastern Recruiting Region.
People familiar with both Marines and chefs might assume Millican would be an easily irritated individual. They'd be wrong.
"I'm very mellow, very calm," Millican said. "It's my personality. It's just my way of doing business."
Millican's business is the day-to-day running of the general's quarters, he said. As the enlisted aide, he is responsible for the caretaking of the general's house, the preparation of all meals and taking care of anything the general or his wife might need.
"It's a relationship with the general and his wife, really," Millican said. "My job is to make sure I'm on top of things before they even happen.
"I'm there for them," he added.
Of course, becoming the general's enlisted aide didn't happen overnight. Millican said he became interested in cooking at the age of six by helping his grandmother in his hometown of Fort Meyers, Fla. After that, he didn't cook professionally until after joining the Marine Corps.
"I had originally joined as a 0300," the 40-year-old chef recalled. "I switched over to food service at Marine Combat Training. I love what I do now."
That love of cooking has led Millican to compete in culinary competitions nationwide. Most recently, he earned a silver medal at the 33rd Annual U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition, a prestigious inter-service competition.
His winning menu was a special chicken supreme with pan sauce and sweet potato puree.
The competition won him some impressive fans.
"We're very proud of his recent accomplishments...but wait until next year," said Brig. Gen. Lefebvre.
Next year, Millican wants to bring back a gold medal, and ultimately compete in the Culinary Olympics, which is an international event.
"Getting there is my dream," Millican said with a smile.
"I've cooked food for generals, the secretary of defense, the joint chief of staff and served coffee to the president of the United States," Millican said, in a tone of voice most people use to describe the contents of their mailbox. "I put everything into my job, and it's gotten me this far."
Although most people would find constantly being around people of that importance daunting, Millican takes it all in stride.
Pictures of these meetings showing Millican with the president are tucked away in a plain white envelope, whereas most people would have them proudly displayed. It's all part of Millican's calm demeanor and part of what makes him so good as his job.
"Awards, medals, rank...those things aren't that important to me," he said. "I work in customer service, when it comes right down to it.
"For me, what makes me happy is seeing people walk away with a smile."