Vikrant equipped with automated galley, capable of producing 5,000 meals a day serving 1,700 sea warriors

By Sahil Pandey
Onboard Vikrant/Kochi (Kerala) [India], August 23 : India's 1st indigenously-built aircraft carrier Vikrant has three automated galleys to prepare food for sea warriors and it has capability to produce 5,000 meals a day in every situation.
29-year-old logistics officer Lieutenant Commander Ankit Saraswat told ANI, "We have 3 galley overall and they are capable of producing 5,000 meals a day. Catering to 1,500-1,700 personnel. Staff work for almost 20 hours a day."
Talking about the equipment for food production on board, Lieutenant Commander said the automated galleys have machines for chapati making, preparing bakery items, Dosa maker and boilers for rice, lentils and curries.
"Onboard we have advanced equipment like chapati making machine which can prepare 6,000 chapatis per meal. We have steamers to prepare bakery items like bread loaf, croissants, cake. We have Dosa making machine as well. We also have boilers which can be used to prepare 400 Kgs of Rice, Dal, curries as well," he added.
Saraswat pointed out that the supporting equipment are installed in the galley like dough needing machine and vegetable cutting machine for making large-scale meal preparation.
"Most of the galleys are automated and are functioning systematically. Galleys have to function in all kinds of situations-- operational situation or peaceful situation," Saraswat explained.
The Indian Navy had on July 28 taken delivery of the carrier from CSL after it had successfully completed the fourth and the final phase of the sea trials last month.
Vikrant can stock 100 tonnes of ration and have 50 cooks onboard to prepare the meals.