Nominations for White House Chef

[maggiethecat]

In this time of change, who'd be your dream pick for White House Chef? Seems the Obamas have already interviewed Rick Bayless and Art Smith, and as a chauvinistic Chicagoan I love the choices. And I don't think they're gonna work out.

So who do you like? Suzanne Goins, Scott Peacock, Mario Batali?

And why?

[mrsadm]

A Mexican chef for the white house? I think the interview of Rick Bayless was a nice gesture but I doubt they will seriously consider him.

Thomas Keller? Too much of an artisan; he probably would not like all the big catering events.

Paula Dean? ;-)

Edited November 18, 2008 by mrsadm (log)

[feedmec00kies]

Paula Dean? ;-)

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Heh, I know that's a joke, but I got to say... I don't think someone who got flack for publicly commenting about the price of arugula at Whole Foods is too interested in someone who teaches people the finer points of deep-fried butter balls and the lady's brunch burger.

Edited November 18, 2008 by feedmec00kies (log)

[Holly Moore]

This being the time for change and all, Anthony Bourdain would surely bring a new dynamic to the White House kitchen.

[jsmeeker]

Is Executive Chef at the White House a real, true, full time gig? I don't have a full grasp on the various "food services" that are available there. Is that chef jsut responsible for official events, or are they in charge of the regular every day meals for the First Family in the private residence? I know there is a food service operation for staffers, but I am pretty sure that is run by the Navy.

This could be an interesting subject to learn about.

[Anna N]

Is Executive Chef at the White House a real, true, full time gig?  I don't have a full grasp on the various "food services" that are available there.  Is that chef jsut responsible for official events, or are they in charge of the regular every day meals for the First Family in the private residence?  I know there is a food service operation for staffers, but I am pretty sure that is run by the Navy.   

This could be an interesting subject to learn about.

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Well here's the wiki entry on the chef and his/her duties.

[TAPrice]

I can't believe any high profile chefs like Bayless would want the job.

But could it be a stepping stone to culinary stardom for a young chef? It never has been before (at least that I'm aware of), but who knows?

[weinoo]

Ramsey would make all those m*#@(%$ckers work.

[Cindy Bertelsen]

Lots of people chattering about this in the blogosphere, including me!

The job will likely not go to a high-profile chef. But stranger things have happened in White House food history!

[Shoom]

I agree in that it is unlikely that the position will go to a high-profile or "celebrity" chef, but I think Eric Ziebold (from DC's Cityzen) would be a guarantee for four years of delicious eating.

Personally, I'd love to see Hiroyuki Sakai in there, but I have a flair for the dramatic.

[jsmeeker]

Is Executive Chef at the White House a real, true, full time gig?  I don't have a full grasp on the various "food services" that are available there.  Is that chef jsut responsible for official events, or are they in charge of the regular every day meals for the First Family in the private residence?   I know there is a food service operation for staffers, but I am pretty sure that is run by the Navy.    

This could be an interesting subject to learn about.

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Well here's the wiki entry on the chef and his/her duties.

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Thanks.. From that, it looks like the chef is incharge of day to day meals for the first family and isn't someone who just shows up to do the big fancy state dinners.

Because of that, I can't see any "big name" chef taking that sort of gig. It's also interesting to see chefs that have worked there for a long time for multiple administrations. The chef prior to Cristeta Comerford worked in the George W. Bush White House for five years prior to being let go.

I wonder what kind of food the Obamas like to eat day to day and what they would like to serve guests at various official events.

[Reignking]

Maybe Robert Irvine could "return"

[jsmeeker]

Good chance that there will be no change?

Blog post from former White House Executive Chef here

http://www.theamericanchef.com/blog/

Full article here.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/services/newsp...0,3716107.story

[Busboy]

Lots of people chattering about this in the blogosphere, including me!

The job will likely not go to a high-profile chef. But stranger things have happened in White House food history!

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A couple of Chefs have come out of the White House and gone onto bigger an better things, most notably Frank Ruta who runs the under-appreciated (outside the Beltway) but national-class Palena here in DC. The problem is, political people don't necessarily give a damn about decent food. Capitol Hill was for many years the worst restaurant neighborhood in the city because Hillbillies want to eat whatever they ate wherever they came from and lobbyists don't care what they eat nearly as much as who they eat it with. Similarly, no one goes to dinner at the White House for the food (or to the Oval Room, across the park from the White House, for that matter) so the gig would probably be sort of a drag for an inventive chef.

As odd as it is to me and probably most of the people here, the White House chef doesn't seem to be a priority to the First Family, and its not uncommon for the chef to hang on for years out of inertia. The only reason the last chef got his walking papers, it appears, is that Laura Bush hired some hot-shot Social Secretary who wanted to put Laura's (meaning the her own) mark on the staff and so they brought in Christine Comerford, the first woman chef. Before then the Bushes had made do with Hillary Clinton's choice for four years.

[suzilightning]

Good chance that there will be no change?

Blog post from former White House Executive Chef here

http://www.theamericanchef.com/blog/

Full article here.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/services/newsp...0,3716107.story

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in addition to the blog, Scheib (along with Andrew Friedman) wrote White House Chef, a very, very interesting book about his time working for the Clinton and Bush families.

[Joann]

Nothing better than home cooking, Grandma is moving in.

Edited November 21, 2008 by Joann (log)

[slo_ted]

I nominate Cat Cora. It would extricate her from ICA. It would extend the feminine presence in the White House kitchen. And, she is definitely good enough for government work.

[Porthos]

Maybe Robert Irvine could "return"

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Well, he has the right type of credibility for the Washington crowd

[Lindacakes]

We are fantasizing: Two Fat Ladies

[Poffertjes]

A Mexican chef for the white house?  I think the interview of Rick Bayless was a nice gesture but I doubt they will seriously consider him. 

Thomas Keller?  Too much of an artisan; he probably would not like all the big catering events. 

Paula Dean? ;-)

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Bayless is a personal friend of the Obamas, fwiw.

[gingerbeer]

Good chance that there will be no change?

Blog post from former White House Executive Chef here

http://www.theamericanchef.com/blog/

Full article here.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/services/newsp...0,3716107.story

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in addition to the blog, Scheib (along with Andrew Friedman) wrote White House Chef, a very, very interesting book about his time working for the Clinton and Bush families.

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i was just about to mention that book! it was really interesting. i wonder why they are getting rid of cristeta?

[KatieLoeb]

Some interesting ideas for a new White House chef in the following article from Michael Pollan.

Farmer in Chief

Although the article's main point isn't about the chef, some of the suggestions (a garden, a meat free meal once weekly, etc.) are quite interesting and would set a fine example for the rest of the country.

[skipper10]

Although the article's main point isn't about the chef, some of the suggestions (a garden, a meat free meal once weekly, etc.) are quite interesting and would set a fine example for the rest of the country.

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Edited December 3, 2008 by skipper10 (log)

[jsmeeker]

Good chance that there will be no change?

Blog post from former White House Executive Chef here

http://www.theamericanchef.com/blog/

Full article here.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/services/newsp...0,3716107.story

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in addition to the blog, Scheib (along with Andrew Friedman) wrote White House Chef, a very, very interesting book about his time working for the Clinton and Bush families.

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i was just about to mention that book! it was really interesting. i wonder why they are getting rid of cristeta?

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so far, there is no evidence that they are. In fact, Chef Scheib suggests that the most likely thing is that she will stay on.

It seems like most of the talk about the change comes from people who assume that new administrations change White House staff like the way they change cabinet members and what not. It really doesn't have to be that way.

[suzilightning]

i was just about to mention that book! it was really interesting. i wonder why they are getting rid of cristeta?

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so far, there is no evidence that they are. In fact, Chef Scheib suggests that the most likely thing is that she will stay on.

It seems like most of the talk about the change comes from people who assume that new administrations change White House staff like the way they change cabinet members and what not. It really doesn't have to be that way.

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read that as well and i do think it would be short sighted to get rid of the present chef who has performed admirably.

some people seem to be equating the white house chef with a personal chef while the title includes both personal chef and an executive chef and depends on how much entertaining is done - state dinners, receptions, informal luncheons. someone can be a good personal chef but can flounder in the swamp of banquet/professional catering where they have to switch from a small number of recipents of their craft where they do most of the food production to more of an executive chef position where their function is more menu choice and overseeing production. that was the thing i came away from scheib's book with was he was truly and team player who could switch from one role to another and could pull in other professionals - or as on 11 september anyone who would volunteer -and play with their strengths in order to put the product out.

Edited December 3, 2008 by jsmeeker (log)