DAVENPORT, Iowa (WHBF) – Vincent Martinez, a 99-year-old World War II veteran, continues to share his culinary talents in Davenport, Iowa, using skills he honed during his service in the Navy.
Every week, Martinez can be found cooking for others, a passion that traces back to his time in the Navy during World War II. At 17, he was assigned to help cooks wash pots and pans, which led to him becoming a cook after showing initiative.
“I learned to make food for people,” Martinez said, reflecting on his lifelong dedication to cooking.
Martinez’s service in the Navy ended abruptly after a car accident left him seriously injured, resulting in an 11-month hospital stay. Despite this setback, he continued to pursue his love for cooking.
Today, Martinez uses ingredients from his garden and the QC Veteran Outreach Center to create homemade dishes like salsa and bread pudding. He often shares these creations with others at the outreach center.
Martinez’s bread pudding, which includes rum, has become a favorite among those at the center, even winning over those who initially claimed not to like it.
His contributions bring laughter, good meals, and companionship to the community, embodying the spirit of generosity and service he learned during his time in the Navy.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published
Source: Fox 8 News Channel