Army Veteran Lives Out His Dream, Opens His Own Business After Serving 2 Tours In Iraq

John Stanley has always loved cooking and dreamed of owning his own food service business.

He joined the U.S. Army after 9/11 and served two-and-a-half tours in Iraq before retiring. With help from the Army, Stanley studied at a Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Korea and became a chef.

While in the military, he cooked for generals and thousands of soldiers. Now, his dream has come true and he started his own food business called Sgt. Stanley’s Meal Prep & Catering LLC this past November. He offers different types of foods from all different cultures.

Since he traveled so much in the military and tried so many different cuisines, he felt there was a need for ethnic and international foods here in the United States. So, he based his menu on his travels during his time in the military.

The menu has 12 items so far, and was created with help from a local dietitian to make sure that they are healthy. The menu is specifically designed for portion control and those who have special diet needs.

The menu includes Italian cuisine, Thai, Asian, Spanish, vegan, and more.

As of now, he cooks out of a newly renovated kitchen at First Presbyterian Church Elmira in New York. They also offer meal plan prep so people can have food for an entire week.

Click here to visit his website, and learn more in the video below: