A YOUNG Burnley man is cooking up a storm as head of 85 military chefs.
Flight Lieutenant Christian Benson, 24, has worked his way up the career ladder since joining the RAF in 1998.
After gaining an HND in hotel and catering management from Salford University, Christian went on to work at a number of hotels across the North West.
He said he decided working in the hotel industry meant it was "all work and no play" and decided to make a career in the RAF.
The former St Theodore's pupil signed up for officer training in November 1999. He gained a number of promotions before being snapped up two years later as the station's catering officer at RAF Boulmer, Northumberland.
He said: " I am now managing an 85-strong team and I am still enjoying the responsibility and diversity of the job
"I can't think of an equivalent job in civilian life which could match this and offer night and weekends off. It's fantastic."
His catering squadron was recently awarded the Jolliffe Trophy for 2002, a highly prestigious award presented to the best catering squadron in the RAF.
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