Hail to the Chef: Choosing the New White House Chef

In the run-up to Barack Obama's inauguration, speculation about who will populate the new White House cabinet and staff is rampant. The AP has the skinny on a sweet gig that might be up for grabs: White House Chef.

Roland Mesnier, who retired in 2004 after 25 years as the White House's executive pastry chef, would never recommend a TV chef for the first family.

"Celebrity chefs, in my book, are not chefs. They're entertainers," he said. "All these people on TV? Forget it."

That dude is no fun at all. The piece goes on to speculate that Obama may simply retain Mesnier's successor, Cristeta Comerford. Again, no fun in that, so I'm going to go ahead and give you my Chef Chortlist anyway.


Rachel Ray: This hyperactive foodsmith burst onto the scene with her "30 Minute Meals," packing quick, tasty recipes, and enough cute, folksy catchphrases to flatten Wasilla.

Pros: Properly harnessed, she could completely end our dependence on oil for energy, and her lightning-fast recipes fit the President's multi-tasking lifestyle.

Cons: Her chirpy attitude can be an acquuired taste, and her meals tend toward budget fare, not the sort of thing you expect in an elite White House.

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Gordon Ramsay: The host of Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares, Ramsay is a pro at taking lemons and screaming at them until they become lemonade.

Pros: Who better to Chef for the first Democratic President in 8 years than a guy whose favorite expression is "You donkey!"

Cons: His temperament would have been better suited to a McCain White House. Besides, I know he owns scores of world class restaurants, but the guy is still English. Can he really cook? Really?



Bobby Flay: The owner of the Mesa Grill and Iron Chef is all about the kinds of tex-mex flavors that Barack Obama enjoys.

Pros: Obama lists chili and margaritas among his favorites, which are right up Bobby's alley, and his experience as an Iron Chef makes him a master improviser.

Cons: Bobby is big A arrogant, with good reason, but that's a tag that Obama has to try to avoid. Plus, I've always found his last name somewhat unappetizing. Like, why not "Eddie Tearing-of-skin?"



Emeril Lagasse: The cajun impresario hosts a host of shows, and even has his own line of cookware.

Pros: Big flavors, and he puts on a big show, plus he's really good with kids. Says "Bam!" a lot.

Cons: I've never been comfortable with someone whose favorite ingredient is his own "essence."


Alton Brown: The host of Good Eats and the Feasting on... series, Brown is my favorite TV chef. He deconstructs the cooking process, and learns you a thing or two about the ingredients.

Pros: Like Obama, Alton Brown is super-smart, and always on the lookout for a better way of doing things.

Cons: Like Obama, he is too awesome. The food at the White House will be too good.


Hopefully, this will give the President-Elect some food for thought when he makes his selection. Or, he might just use this as an opportunity to reach across the aisle, and make Chuck Hagel the new chef.

Tommy Christopher and Caleb Howe co-host "Unusable Signal",on BlogTalkRadio, Tues through Thurs at 10pm, and Fri, and Sat at 11pm. (Eastern) Click here for the Unusable Signal homepage.

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