Who Should Be Obama's White House Chef?
From left: Art Smith, Rick Bayless, Daniel Young
The New York Daily News reported on Sunday that three chefs are supposedly under consideration for the Obamas' White House chef. They are former Oprah chef Art Smith, authentic Mexican chef and food oracle Rick Bayless, and NBA star Carmelo Anthony's personal chef, Daniel Young.
I don't know if any of the three are seriously in contention for the job (the reporting was not exactly definitive), but if they are, I think Art Smith would be the odds-on favorite. In any case, the story got me thinking about who could or should get the job.
Serious Eaters, this is your chance to put forward your suggestions for filling the Obamas' White House chef job. After the jump, our suggestions.
First of all, let us lay out the criteria.
From all reports, the Obamas like to eat healthily, with Michelle having a strong preference for organic ingredients and products. Barack Obama is an "eat to live" kind of a guy. Secondly, their chef must have a can-do "yes, we can" attitude. Of course, whoever cooks for them has to represent change in some fashion. It can't be "food as usual" at the White House in 2009 and beyond. Chicago cooking experience would probably be helpful (Both Smith and Bayless are from the Windy City). Lastly, I have it on good authority that the Obamas love pie. So consider these candidates:
Deborah Madison: Madison knows how to make vegetables taste delicious, and even though she has never cooked in Chicago, her San Francisco and Santa Fe pedigrees indicate her politics are probably in sync with the Obamas.
Michel Nischan: Nischan is the chef-owner of Westport, Connecticut's Dressing Room, the late Paul Newman-financed restaurant. Nischan is a master of using juices instead of fats in sauces, his food is quintessentially American, and he's from Michigan, a key swing state.
Marcus Samuelsson: Marcus was born in Ethiopia, adopted by a Swedish couple and raised in Sweden, and is a bit of a culinary wunderkind. Like Obama, he is a true citizen of the world.
Grant Achatz: A cooking wunderkind who truly represents culinary change, Achatz is the choice if the Obamas are truly seeking the best and the brightest. He's a Chicagoan who grew up in Michigan (see above) and he's battled tongue cancer. I just don't know if Barack, Michelle, and their daughters are ready for techno-emotional cooking every night for dinner. Does he make a mean pie crust? Don't know.
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24 Comments:
interesting. however, i don't think that whomever gets picked to be chef should necessarily be "in alignment" politically with our new leader. if my husband (who's a chef and so very much not a democrat) was offered the job, he'd jump at the chance, and put politics aside. the honor and the challenge would be worth it. because it would be a challenge; running the White House kitchen is infinitly different than running your own restaurant. more like one big fat catering gig, 24 hours a day, for at least 4 years.
french tart at 9:14AM on 11/10/08
since the new york newspapers have taken to calling him "bam," i think the natural choice for his chef in the white house would be emeril lagasse.
cybercita at 9:26AM on 11/10/08
Well, I know this would break the heart of the Essex St. Market crowd, but what if Kenny Shopsin was white-house bound? I mean, he can make anything, and he's a true original....
JudgeFudge at 9:30AM on 11/10/08
hey, what about Robert Irvine? Oh wait, he already claimed to have done that.
:P
Southern_bella at 9:37AM on 11/10/08
Ed: Marcus Samuelsson is, no kidding, one of the more brilliant suggestions I've heard in any context of any discussion in a long time.
I like everything about the idea of his being White House Chef. I fear that now I will be disappointed if he doesn't get the gig.
ccbweb at 9:45AM on 11/10/08
@cybercita-- LOL!!
And I agree, Marcus Samuelsson would be a great choice.
Christina at 9:51AM on 11/10/08
Bayless actually makes a lot of sense since he's such a celebrity here in Chicago. He also fits the healthy cooking requirements, is well versed in a variety of ethnic cuisines, and is probably a good match personality-wise.
DJ Dedd at 10:30AM on 11/10/08
Alice Waters. Grow the food on the White House lawn, national visibility for her schools program :-)
OliverRanch at 11:04AM on 11/10/08
What about Charlie Ayers? He's the former chef at Google. His book's pretty good too.
Your pal,
Deb Schiff
Altered Plates
Here and There
hereandthe at 11:41AM on 11/10/08
Does the White House chef actually go to work, on a daily basis, at the White House? I can't imagine that Smith or Bayless, both of whom own businesses located in Chicago, would want to close up shop for a job that probably pays less, is no higher profile than their current jobs and ends in 4 or 8 years.
Quick: Name two past White House chefs--and Robert Irvine is not an acceptable answer. Can you? I can't. But I could certainly name dozens of chefs who are high-profile and don't work in the White House.
chgoeditor at 12:31PM on 11/10/08
Art Smith is an absurd idea. The main job of the WH chef is not just cooking comfort food for the family everyday; it's putting on formal multi-course meals for State dinners. Black tie stuff for dignitaries. Do you really want Art Smith for that?
Too bad that Paul Liebrandt just signed onto a restaurant, because you need someone at that level.
Pupster at 12:56PM on 11/10/08
I'd recruit Dorie to be the official pastry chef :).
Apple at 1:25PM on 11/10/08
I don't think Marcus is going to quit his multiple other chef gigs to work at the White House...
Art Smith, lol.
justcook at 1:55PM on 11/10/08
I agree with OliverRanch--Alice Waters would be a great choice. She could have an Edible School Yard of international acclaim.
dhorst at 2:52PM on 11/10/08
What? No Charlie Trotter? He's world class and would make meals fit for world leaders.
And what about Homaro Cantu? He's definitely cutting edge. Albeit a poor man's Ferran Adria.
I do think Bayless and Smith are definitely in the running since Smith is Oprah's chef (not a healthy food chef) and with Bayless, Barack's been known to love mexican food.
madebytam at 3:52PM on 11/10/08
Alice Waters would be great for any number of reasons, but she doesn't actually cook in the conventional restaurant sense. The only way she would be interested if Barack and Michelle adopted her entire food political agenda.
I remember Barack referencing Michael Pollan during the campaign.
Ed Levine at 4:21PM on 11/10/08
I hear Bourdain's available. He'd know what to serve at State dinners for foreign dignitaries and they could take him along when they travel!
PerkyMac at 6:54PM on 11/10/08
Rachel Ray...just to get her the hell off my TV...
sailordave at 8:55PM on 11/10/08
I don't know any names of chefs who might fit this category, but I think the Obamas should have someone who is dedicated to the "slow food" movement, especially healthy organic ingredients, and eating locally whenever possible. That would set a good example for our country.
lurquizo at 3:39AM on 11/11/08
Being Grant's cousin, I think his creations could lead us to world peace! As far as pies go, his cousin [me]owns a pie company that was one of four in the country, chosen to be on Good Morning America. So if the White House needs pies, I will be ready.
pieguy at 9:43AM on 11/11/08
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-whitehousechef-1111nov11,0,10650.story
DJ Dedd at 4:30PM on 11/11/08
Michel Nischan would be great -- but while he used to cook primarily for wellness, he now is dedicated to restoring and reestablishing local and regional food systems and the heirloom recipes Americans once relied on. Also, correction: he is from Illinois, not Michigan. He's a wonderful cook and is totally dedicated to sustainable agriculture -- but would he want to leave his restaurant? Who knows!
marycg at 11:00AM on 11/13/08
Why is there no talk of retaining the current chef, Cristeta Comerford, who has been in the position since August 2005? That's right, a WOMAN, the first ever in that position? Jeez, what an opportunity for good press. And why do people think it's still Walter Scheib -- a fine chef, to be sure -- who left in 2005 and even wrote a book about his experiences and how difficult it was to deal with Mrs. Bush and her staff who wanted totally opposite styles (and the staff wanted him to make stuff they tore out of ladies' magazines!!)
SuzanneF at 10:43AM on 11/18/08
Dan Barber, cos he knows his oats
badger at 8:06AM on 12/19/08