The firehouse meal is a long-cherished ritual among firefighters. But the task of planning, prepping and cooking meals for you and your colleagues on a 24-hour shift can be daunting.
That’s what inspired LAFD firefighter and paramedic Scott Luft, a lifelong hobby cook, to document his firehouse meals and turn them into a social media sensation, thanks in part to a viral video for carne asada bowls. Watch as we take you inside Station 86 to see what Scott is cooking.
Luft to Cook: LAFD Firefighter’s Recipe for Success
From the kitchen at LAFD Fire Station No. 86 in Toluca Lake, Scott can be found whipping up hearty meals like coconut lime chicken, birria grilled cheese and creamy sausage tortellini soup, all of which he documents on his Instagram account, “lufttocook.”
Scott has since become something of a social media star, thanks to his natural camera presence, easy-to-follow steps, and a viral recipe. After a fellow firefighter’s mother-in-law (dubbed the “station mom”) dropped off 20 lbs. of seasoned carne asada, Scott turned it into a recipe for “carne asada bowls,” complete with freshly made rice, beans and salsa.
The post garnered almost 15,000 likes and over 500 comments. Currently, his account boasts more than 41,000 followers. A cookbook is in the works, too.
“I get that people like to kinda see the fire station life, but I’m definitely not a culinary trained cook,” said Scott, who also shoots and edits his videos on his phone. “So, I was a little shocked when people started to show more and more interest. And then you start getting comments, and all the views start coming in.”
While he can expertly wield a tripod to get the right shot, he admitted that filming and editing are his least favorite aspects of content creation.
Scott started cooking firehouse meals as a rookie and hopes his continued passion demystifies the task for younger colleagues. For over a decade, he has taken them under his culinary wing.
“The young guy gets on and [has] no idea what he’s doing. No idea. He’s like a deer in headlights. So I would come in, kind of help him. ‘All right, what do you want to do? What can you cook?’” he recalled. “If everyone can just get a little bit better, then all of a sudden, those mouths that they’re feeding are a little happier, and everyone’s in a better mood.”
His recipes are accessible, filling and most importantly, tasty, guaranteeing no “Luft”-overs. “No one wants to eat bad food, or food that’s kind of old, ‘I’ve had this 100 times,’” he added. “It’s like, ‘Here, try something new.’”
Discover more recipes and culinary stories from our LAFD chefs.
By Audrey Yap