SLIDESHOW | 5 images | 260208-Z-RH707-5365 (left to right) Spc. Jasman Lover-Said, Spc. Lindi Corless, Sgt. Juliana Martinez, Spc. Brayden Buffalohead and Sgt. 1st Class Emmanuel Okonkwo, all members of the 903rd Quartermaster Company, pose with their individual and team trophy after winning the third annual Oklahoma Army National Guard Culinary Excellence Competition, in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 8, 2026. This win for the 903rd marks the third time in a row a team representing the 903rd has placed first in the competition designed to recognize outstanding OKARNG cooks. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

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(left to right) Spc. Jasman Lover-Said, Spc. Lindi Corless, Sgt. Juliana Martinez, Spc. Brayden Buffalohead and Sgt. 1st Class Emmanuel Okonkwo, all members of the 903rd Quartermaster Company, pose with their individual and team trophy after winning the third annual Oklahoma Army National Guard Culinary Excellence Competition, in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 8, 2026. This win for the 903rd marks the third time in a row a team representing the 903rd has placed first in the competition designed to recognize outstanding OKARNG cooks. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

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Spc. Brayden Buffalohead, a member of the 903rd Quartermaster Company, seasons steaks during the third annual Oklahoma Army National Guard Culinary Excellence Competition, in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 8, 2026. Buffalohead is one of the five cooks on a team representing the 903rd who took first place in the competition - the third time in a row a team representing the 903rd has placed first in the competition designed to recognize outstanding OKARNG cooks. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

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Members of Echo Company, 700th Brigade Support Battalion prepare steaks and potatoes during the third annual Oklahoma Army National Guard Culinary Excellence Competition in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 8, 2026. This year’s OKARNG CEC hosted five teams from the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 90th Troop Command competing to be named the best team in the state. The competition is designed to recognize outstanding OKARNG cooks. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

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Spc. Kaslyn Smith, a member of Hotel Company, 700th Brigade Support Battalion, chops vegetables during the third annual Oklahoma Army National Guard Culinary Excellence Competition in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 8, 2026. This year’s OKARNG CEC hosted five teams from the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 90th Troop Command competing to be named the best team in the state. The competition is designed to recognize outstanding OKARNG cooks. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

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Spc. Kyan Wescott, a member of the 903rd Quartermaster Company, prepares a pineapple upside down cake during the third annual Oklahoma Army National Guard Culinary Excellence Competition in Norman, Oklahoma, Feb. 8, 2026. This year’s OKARNG CEC hosted five teams from the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 90th Troop Command competing to be named the best team in the state. The competition is designed to recognize outstanding OKARNG cooks. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Jones)

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The victory solidifies the 903rd's reputation as a culinary dynasty within the Oklahoma Army National Guard, having won every state-level competition held to date.

A total of five teams, representing the 903rd and the forward support companies from the 700th Brigade Support Battalion, competed for the top honors.

The event challenged the culinary specialists to plan and execute a single meal for judges and fellow Soldiers, using either a container kitchen or a mobile kitchen trailer to simulate a field environment.

The winning team, comprised of Sgt. 1st Class Emmanuel Okonkwo, Sgt. Juliana Martinez, Spc. Lindi Corless, Spc. Jasman Lover-Said, and Spc. Brayden Buffalohead, showcased superior skill and teamwork to defend their unit’s title.

Taking a hard-earned second place was the team from Echo Company, 700th Brigade Support Battalion, made up of Sgt. Tyler Palmer, Spc. Devyn Newkirk, Spc. Georgia Smith, Spc. Myirs Shirley, and Spc. Alyssa Eddings.

For Buffalohead on the winning team, the victory was a testament to the unit's collective effort and high standards.

“It's inspiring to win and know we all contributed to the win. It shows we're all doing the right things right," Buffalohead said. "Winning really brings the team and unit together and increases morale. It shows the rest of the state it's not just one person, it's the skills of the whole unit."

Sgt. Maj. Brian Brown, Oklahoma Army National Guard logistics sergeant major, said while the competition drives Soldiers to perform their best, it brings together cooks from across the OKARNG and allows them to share best practices.

"The Soldiers are getting to grow and learn," Brown said. "Here they get to share ideas, share experiences and share tips and it builds knowledge across the entire Oklahoma Army National Guard."

By securing the 'three-peat', the culinary specialists of the 903rd Quartermaster Company have not only demonstrated their mastery in the field but have also set a high bar for excellence for years to come.