Lieutenant General Chris Mohan serves as the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC). He officially assumed this role on November 20, 2025, having previously served as the command’s Deputy Commanding General and acting commander Chief. Mohan recalls when he first joined the Army, with one of his first memories being a time he was peeling potatoes.
“I remember those moments and I was like, ‘Holy crap, I am really in the Army now because I am here peeling potatoes.’”
Mohan has been around Army food throughout his nearly 40-year career, which has included many assignments, destinations, and multiple operations such as Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He has seen the entire Army evolve and advance in technology, weapons, and how soldiers train. What had not advanced in a way that he liked was nutrition and the food that was being used to fuel the people that wore the uniform.
Why Food Change Was Necessary
The Army began shifting to their Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system in 2018. That system focused on five domains they felt were vital for a Soldier to be optimal: physical, mental, spiritual, sleep, and nutrition. Mohan had paid extra attention to the nutrition component and felt the food that was being provided may not have been up to the standard it should have been. Neither were the dining areas they were eating in. It turned out he wasn’t the only one that felt this way.
“Our Soldiers were telling us, ‘Hey, look, this is not working.’ And it became something we were really concerned about from a recruiting and retention standpoint.”
Those concerns were valid because recruitment started to become an issue for all branches in the early years of this decade. If the Army was going to solve this issue, they needed to reassure families that their children going out to serve America were going to be well taken care of. Mohan was ready to take action, and he felt he was in a solid position to do so.
Mohan said, “We can change everything that we need to change because we own the moral high ground on this issue.”
Robert Irvine Joins the Cause
Mohan knew enough to know he didn’t know it all. For this mission to be as successful as possible, he needed someone that knew the restaurant and food business inside and out. Renowned chef and Food Network star Robert Irvine already had a relationship with the Army, and when asked to share his knowledge and experience, Irvine was more than happy to oblige. He confirmed that this wasn’t a new issue for him. As a matter of fact, it was an opportunity that he wanted to pursue for quite some time.
“Look, for 20 years I’ve been traveling USO (United Service Organizations) tours and AFE (Armed Forces Entertainment) tours and Chairmen’s and Vice Chairmen’s. And look, food was never a priority,” Irvine stated clearly. “17 of those 20 years was me beating a drum.”
Irvine referred to Mohan as his “hero” for taking on the endeavor and for leading the charge. Both also affirmed that there were many more people that joined the cause, such as then Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George (retired in 2026), Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, and many others behind the scenes.
Mohan and Irvine collaborated, and following a Request for Proposal to pilot a new model with an industry partner, the Army awarded a contract to Compass Group to provide the food that they wanted to serve Soldiers and their families. Irvine also studied university restaurants and dining halls to help him determine what the best environment would be, including proper chairs, tables, and even lighting. The same attention to detail he would offer on Restaurant: Impossible for years was being applied now.
“I mean, it’s just a whole different skill set that, quite frankly, we don’t have,” Mohan said. With him and Gen. George taking the lead, Irvine as the enforcer, and the rest of the team putting in the work, the concept became a three-year process that has made a big impact.
The Results Speak for Themselves
42 Bistro, located in Fort Hood, Texas, had a soft opening (a concept that Irvine also taught Mohan) in February 2026, followed by a grand opening one week later. As the centerpiece of the Army’s revolutionary shift in how it feeds its force, the campus-style dining hall and over 3,000 available recipes were received with open arms. Just as the Soldiers before would tell Mohan about when the food was bad, they are now offering much more positive reviews.
“We fed 4,000 Soldiers on a payday weekend, which is unheard of,” Mohan said. He reported that it was up from just over 200 in the past. He noted that aside from how the food tastes, another advantage is that it is affordable and available without leaving the base.
“You can go in and you can get a grilled chicken sandwich, an order of sweet potato fries, and something to drink for about five bucks. You can get a three-egg omelet with protein and a whole meal for breakfast for about seven bucks. You can’t do that off post.”
Irvine proudly added, “They go on their phones, and they take pictures. We saw kids, little kids running in there and eating and finding things, and the campus-style dining is an amazing thing. And the Soldiers love it. They don’t just like it, they love it.”
Mohan and Irvine both emphasized that it was important that the people dining in 42 Bistro could enjoy more than the food. They needed to be in a positive environment so they could have a better experience overall.
“They’re also going there with their teammates, which gets back to that team building, building your squad, building your camaraderie. And when you can eat, break bread together and do meals together, it helps build the team.”
Victory Fresh, another pilot model, is a “fast-casual” model similar to restaurants like Chipotle. With locations in both Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Fort Lee, Virginia, they also offer quality food options that Soldiers can enjoy. Whether it is something they want at the end of a day, or to grab-and-go during a short break, Soldiers don’t have to sacrifice quality for the sake of eating on the run.
“We also have a number of kiosks where we have different models for different installations, and we will continue to change,” Mohan added.
Recruitment has improved dramatically over the last couple of years, but Mohan feels that providing the proper food and settings to enjoy it will be a reason why retention stays high, and Soldiers will be healthier veterans by the time their careers end.
“It’s going to be cheaper on the healthcare system generations from now.”
The Goal: Make The Movement Permanent
Stack House Bistro opened in Fort Carson, Colorado, in March 2026, and Campus-Style Dining Venue locations at Fort Drum, New York, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are set to open later this year. Irvine sees a lot of potential and success in this movement, which is why he is fully committed to seeing it through to the end.
“We care about Soldiers, we care about kids, we care about their feeding. People talked about it before, but they couldn’t get across the finish line. That guy (Mohan) is like my hero because he actually took the steps. So, for me to be a part of it is humbling, it’s euphoric, it wakes me up every day.”
Mohan concluded by doubling down on his commitment to the cause because he knows that providing the proper food for the Soldiers committing themselves to the cause of freedom is not just important, it’s a must for those that serve now as well as for veterans and those that are considering the military as a part of their future.
“We want America to know that we are fully committed to modernizing our food ecosystem on installations to ensure our Soldiers have the fuel they need to train, fight and win our nation’s wars. Trust that we are working tirelessly to meet Soldiers where they are in today’s society with their eating habits and provide them with healthy, accessible food options. And at the end of the day, we want Americans to consider Army service as a choice that is not only honorable and noble, but one that is going to make your sons and daughters healthier, stronger, and skilled.”
To learn more about Army Materiel Command, go to their website. You can see more about Irvine and his efforts by going to robertirvinefoundation.org.
M&F Senior Military Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this Fit to Serve article.
