Food of the White House: A Brief History

Another election cycle in the books...another parfait of political punditry propelled to the pages of history.

As the nation ponders it's future, it makes sense to step back from the high-stakes topics on the minds of many by taking a more casual look by placing some focus on the history of food and cuisine at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, and the Presidents that resided over their respective terms in office.

By no means is this intended to be a deep-dive into the history of White House cuisine, though it is a very fascinating topic, one which is greatly encouraged to research further. Sources and recommended reading will be provided throughout the article for those interested!

In discussing Presidential and White House cuisine it's hard not to immediately think of the myths and media bytes from the old days. From George Washington's cherry tree, to Ronald Reagan's jelly beans; from George H. W. Bush's distaste for broccoli, to Donald Trump's fast food reception, food can definitely contribute to the legacy of a President and their presidency. In going down that rabbit hole, this article will take a look at three 20th century presidencies which, arguably, are a reflection of their respective times. We'll briefly cover Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose presidency covered the Great Depression, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 2-term president of the Baby Boomer era, and Lyndon B. Johnson, a President linked to the Civil Rights movement in the United States.

From personal accounts from those around during the time, to formal records recorded in a broad range of history books, the era of the Great Depression is generally regarded as one of the greatest trials of American perseverance. This reality, whether by choice or by circumstance carried over to the food served at the White House and during formal/state events. Many historical records reference that the cuisine served at the residence was terrible by White House standards, but this also seemingly was an intentional choice at the behest of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Given rations across the country were scarce the First Lady, summarily, placed more of a focus on nutrition and economy rather than the decadence of the premier residence in the United States. A quote from The New Yorker says it best, 'She wanted White House meals to set the right example for a struggling populace, but she didn’t see how “the art of cooking” was going to help. She was much more comfortable with reform measures that spoke a language she could understand: economy, nutrition, efficiency.'

One of the most noteworthy state dinners was during a visit from King George VI of England and his wife, Queen Elizabeth at the Presidents residence in Hyde Park, New York on June 11, 1939. It was a first on many fronts; it was the first time a sitting king visited a personal residence of a world leader, and it was apparently the first time George VI tried a hot dog. As to the result of the experience, a New York Times article from the following day sums it up best, KING TRIES HOT DOG AND ASKS FOR MORE (Note: A publicly accessible version of the link was used, but please note the New York Times implements a paywall for some of it's content)

Contrary to the expectations of U.S Presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower was arguably one of the first that could be described as a competent cook in his own right. The former Supreme Commander of the Allied forces during World War II was known for cooking for himself (it was noted that he viewed cooking as a method of stress relief), and during his presidency he often cooked for White House guests. A particular method of cooking steaks, in which President Eisenhower placed a thick-cut steak directly on coals captivated guests unfamiliar with the technique, yet the end result was a juicy steak with a surprisingly flavorful crust.

In addition to a published collection of the President's foods, titled 'Ike the Cook' (limited copies available on Amazon, per this link) the Eisenhower Library has compiled a series of recipes which are available for public viewing:

https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/file/cookbook.pdf

Though from a domestic policy standpoint the Eisenhower Presidency advanced Civil Rights significantly, the one-term presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson is often synonymous with Civil Rights as they are viewed in modern times. At this relates to the cuisine of the White House, the personal cook of LBJ and Ladybird Johnson, Zephyr Wright represented a contrast to the tradition of White House cuisine introduced during the Kennedy Presidency. The first White House executive chef, René Verdon represented traditional French cuisine while Wright, a Texas-born graduate of Wiley College was well-versed in Texas and southern cooking, cuisine favored by the Johnsons.

The preferred palette became an area of contention between President Johnson and executive chef Verdon. In a quote to the Washington Post, Verdon said, 'You can eat at home what you want, but you do not serve barbecued spareribs at a banquet with the ladies in white gloves'. Verdon ultimately resigned in 1965, and Wright fulfilled executive chef responsibilities until the administration hired swiss-born chef Henry Haller in 1966...a position Haller held until 1987.

In alignment with the food enjoyed by President Johnson and cited by numerous sources, Wright was known for her chili, fried chicken, popovers, and cobblers. Americas Test Kitchen highlights a shrimp curry recipe of hers as a flavor that integrates southern cooking with the influence of south Asia through English colonialists.

As influential as her food was to the Presidency of Lyndon B Johnson, her experiences as a black woman in the U.S during the early-to-mid 20th century became an integral part of American history and the advancement of Civil Rights in the country. Wright described her experiences to Johnson throughout her time with the family; and Johnson would often seek her opinions on how to advance Civil Rights in America. Upon signing the Voting Rights Act of 1964 into law, Johnson gave Wright the pen used to sign the act, stating 'you deserve this more than anyone else.'

In summary, the influence of food as a part of defining the legacy of a U.S. President is vast; so much more can be said even with the three presidents highlighted in the article, and that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the topic. From the pickiness of certain presidents to the flexibility of their staff, and from the pragmatism and practicality of certain administrations to the soap-opera-level drama of others, food and cuisine definitely has it's place in the historical archives.

To properly conclude this article, it makes sense to recognize the distinguished 29 year career of White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford. Her career as a White House culinary professional began as an assistant chef in 1995 under the Clinton administration. In 2005, she was promoted to White House executive chef under the Bush administration. She held the position through the Obama, 1st Trump, and Biden administrations up to her retirement in July of 2024. Though history will recognize her as the first woman and first person of Asian descent to hold the position, it is equally impressive that she was ultimately able to hold the position with such a diverse group of U.S. Presidents, especially given the nature of the job and the occasionally contentious culinary viewpoints between chef and presidential administration.

Congratulations chef Comerford on an extraordinary career!

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/11/22/the-first-kitchen

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-franklin-delano-roosevelt-served-hot-dogs-king-180963589/