Fired White House chef unhappy with Bushes; dedicates book to Mrs. Clinton

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Presidents’ Chef; Now, His Book
By MARIAN BURROS
Published: October 25, 2006

....Within two months of (Laura Bush’s new social secretary, Lea Berman's) arrival, in December 2004, (White House chef Walter Scheib III) was asked by the chief usher, Gary Walters, who is in charge of White House operations, to hand in his resignation....Quite a comedown, he admitted in an interview last week, from his days in the previous administration, when Hillary Clinton had charged this fiercely competitive, meticulously organized chef with bringing “what’s best about American food, wine and entertaining to the White House.” His sophisticated contemporary food was generally considered some of the best ever served there....

***

Mr. Scheib has finished an engaging book about life at the Executive Mansion, “The White House Chef,” written with Andrew Freidman, to be published by John Wiley & Sons in January....At one point he confesses that the job had become boring to him because President and Mrs. Bush weren’t particularly adventurous eaters: “I found myself thinking with profound nostalgia of Mrs. Clinton and her passion for inclusion, her interest in learning about and trying new foods, and her desire to show off her mansion’s best to visitors foreign and domestic.” The book is dedicated to her....

***

Mrs. Berman, a well-known Washington hostess who ran an event-planning business in Washington, had previously worked for Lynne Cheney at the vice president’s residence. She and her husband, Wayne, a former sugar lobbyist, who raised $300,000 for the Bush presidential campaigns, share a 13,000-square-foot Georgian residence on Embassy Row.

The first time she met Mr. Scheib she told him that she wanted the White House kitchen to produce meals like those her husband had enjoyed at one of Marco Pierre White’s restaurants in London. Mr. White, who once had three Michelin stars, has served everything from braised pigs’ trotters to truffled parsley soup with poached eggs.

“I’m thinking to myself, ‘I’m not sure the president is going to be big on that,’ ” said Mr. Scheib, who had made many an enchilada and grilled-cheese sandwich on white bread with Kraft singles for President Bush....Even before the Bushes arrived at the White House, the word had gone out that the president did not like “green food” or “wet fish,” as in poached, steamed or boiled....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/25/dining/25whit.html

[Stephanie]

1. the president did not like “green food”

What is he, nine? He's such an infantile POS.

[kestrel91316]

2. Just think of all the healthy, nutritious food NOT being wasted on that

disgusting oxygen-user.

Just leaves more for the rest of us. And we can enjoy the idea of him not getting enough anti-oxidants and such to keep him healthy. Works for me.

[lcordero2]

??????

Is the term "oxygen thief" more appropriate?

[Jed Dilligan]

38. Unfortunately, that's not how it works

Over 50% of the food produced in this country rots in dumpsters.

[Norquist Nemesis]

19. A War on Broccoli was declared

after it was determed that it was a national security threat that had to be fought and won! Banning all green food was a measure taken as one of the tools to make sure Broccoli didn't sneak in and attack. That was the only way to keep us safe!

(Didn't Poppy hate broccoli?)

[donco6]

52. That explains his splotchy complexion.

What a baby.

[Bozita]

3. "grilled-cheese sandwich on white bread with Kraft singles"

Bush doesn't need a chef. Bread, couple of slices of Wonder Bread, a Kraft single, and a teflon pan.

How can this asshole be such an adventurer in his foreign policy?

[SouthernBelle82]

27. I agree

A chef for that? That's easy to make! If I had a chef I know I'd be trying all sorts of meals from all over the world.

[bdamomma]

50. that sandwich is as boring as he is!!!

proves he has no class whatsoever, class is up his ass!!!!!

[badgerpup]

4. Kraft singles on white bread?!

:puke:

I don't even want to think about what this cretin considers acceptable at a State Dinner for a foreign emissary...:yoiks:

[Stephanie]

6. that's not redneck, btw. that's actually WASP Elite food

The WASP Elite serve very precisely conventional food. The Bread of Choice is Pepperidge Farm Thin-Sliced White. I'm quite sure American on White is as de rigeur as tennis whites.

[Generic Other]

7. Plastic Turkey

[Raster]

29. from a Plastic pResident. How appropriate.

:rofl:

[calimary]

47. Yeah, but think of what it's doing to his arteries, and his colon.

No fiber. No whole grains. No veggies. Just that nice flat "pasteurized process cheese food product." Nothin' but the best for our low-life pResident.

I just had an irony moment. The way he prefers to eat is going to do him more damage than a thousand Gores, Kerrys, Deans, Feingolds, and Obamas. That putz has a reserved seat on the Cholesteral Express.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JDPriestly]

8. Doesn't like green food . . . .

That explains Bush's mental deterioration -- he does not eat enough green and leafy vegetables -- the kinds of foods that make for a healthy brain. Children, eat your veggies or you will end up like G.W. Bush -- premature dementia.

[bumblebee1]

9. I want to read this book

* sounds like my brother-in-law. One Sunday, I invited him, my sister-in-law and other brother-in-law for dinner. I served them Cchicken with sage butter, risotto primavera and Italian tomato salad. My brother-in-law takes one look at the risotto and says "I don't eat that." Needless to day, that attitude pissed me off. Should have made him starve. The rest of us had no problem with the dinner.

[flordehinojos]

11. did you serve him anything else, did you leave an empty space for the

risotto in his dinner plate, did you point him to the nearest burger king/mcdonald's joints?

[Warren DeMontague]

36. You should have asked him if he'd like it in a boat.

Or if he'd like it with a goat.

[Marnieworld]

39. what a douche

Risotto is rice for chrissakes! I'd love to eat at your house. That sounds like a lovely meal. :hi:

[jobycom]

10. He should have just hired this woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_-KbstEG4E&mode=related&search=

[babydollhead]

30. Lunch Lady Land!

Thank you. My theme song! it's the term we use around here for "going crazy"...as in "don't make me go all Lunch Lady Land on you!"

[soothsayer]

12. Omigod, what a doofus! Just an embarassment all the way around.

[peekaloo]

13. lol....wet fish......paging Dr. Freud.

:rofl:

Wht the hell are "pigs' trotters"? Pigs feet?

[Warren DeMontague]

33. "There are those that are partial to the snail, and those that are partial

to the oyster..."

[peekaloo]

63. okay

that made me :spray:

the Dude abides!

[underpants]

14. Someone needs to photoshop an Olive Garden sign onto a WH pic

What a bunch of rubes

[calico1]

15. When the bushes first moved into

the White House I remember reading a news article about how they preferred South Western and Southern cooking and that the WH cooking staff was going to have to learn to make that type food. I remember thinking it was so close minded. I wonder if they serve enchiladas and grilled cheese sandwiches to White House guests? :eyes:

[SouthernBelle82]

28. To guests?

I don't think so to guests. Maybe like a light lunch or something if you have a busy day. If I had visitor's coming in for meetings and whatnot I would serve food that they were used to. It seems to me the Bush's are just very selfish and don't think of their guests. I know I'd be worried on my reputation as a host to foreign diplomats and everything. This is more of that spoiled mind set from Bush's up bringing I believe.

[Marnieworld]

40. I remember reading that * was fond of Bull testicles

And I'm pretty sure that they have served them! Do they have to ruin everything? It's the White House and they'd rather have a diner cook.

[Lisa]

48. is this the article?

http://archive.salon.com/people/feature/2001/01/11/cheapshots0110/index.html

According to Grady Spears, Texas chef and author of "A Cowboy in the Kitchen," the president-elect is loco for bull nuts. The Texas specialty, known by the mercifully euphemistic name of "calf-fries," is nothing more and nothing less than a mess of deep-fried bull testes. Chef Spears, who served the dish often for Mr. and Mrs. Bush when the former was governor of Texas, told Wireless Newsflash, "The plates came back pretty empty."

[Marnieworld]

54. That's the one!

Thanks. Give me "green stuff" any day over that! :eyes:

[eppur_se_muova]

55. "Prairie oysters". Known as "mountain oysters" in Appalachia.

No Freudian interpretations to that. None at all. :eyes:

[Mind_your_head]

57. What guests? The * WH doesn't have the parties and state dinners

that previous WH's were known for. The *'s do the bare minimum. They're such putz's.

[Crankie Avalon]

16. All Bush needs are his peanut butter and tequila sandwiches...

...maybe a little fried bologna for formal occasions.

As for his wife, for her they can just empty a bottle of pills on a plate--put the cotton ball on it, too, for a little fiber and then smother it all in gravy.

[kskiska]

17. "Make it look just like the picture"

(snip)

Before almost every White House function, he said, Mrs. Berman would send him marked recipes from cookbooks and magazines, like Martha Stewart Living, along with instructions that he “make it look just like the picture.”

Stylists who work with food photographers have an arsenal of tricks and techniques that are unlikely to please anyone’s dinner guests. Food may be incompletely cooked so it will look better and sometimes it is not food at all. Aerosol shaving cream often stands in for whipped cream.

[noonwitch]

18. I have the feeling if Bill ate what he wanted to all the time, he'd eat similar food to Bush

Guy food. Burgers, fries, stuff off the grill, stuff that fills you up and tastes good, but isn't always the healthiest choice one can make.

This is so not an issue, that it's almost funny.

[Marnieworld]

43. It's certainly not the biggest issue

But it's indicative of an incurious mindset, of a hostility to sophistication or skill. It lessens the class and dignity of the White House, which is supposed to represent us, the people of this country. It's further dumbing down of things for his comfort and is an embarassment. With someone of his financial background he should have been able to dine anywhere and be exposed to all sorts of cuisines. Yet he rejects a great chef's work like he rejects appointing people with skill to important responsibile positions, reading PDBs, listening to anyone with a dissenting viewpoint, all science etc. It's all that "elitist" crap and he just rejects it all. So yes, there arebigger fish to fry (just don't boil them) but this is just another symptom of a greater problem.

On edit: I've got a hunch that Bill Clinton has a much more sophisticated palette than that. He has way to curious of a mind and appetite for remaining a culinary 9 year-old.

[bullwinkle428]

51. I'm sure his food priorities changed completely after his heart attack...

he looks much better/healthier these days!

[blm]

20. I always liked how Hillary handled the running of the White House socially

and for their personal lives.

[napi21]

21. Ahhh, like father like son AGAIN! Remember the broccolli story?

Geo. H, in a speech, said he hated borccolliand a whole lot of growers sent a ton of broccolli to the WH!

"Don't like green food" must be a BUSH thing!

[Tracer]

22. I feed Kraft singles to my cat.

She loves them.

That's about all they're good for.

[4_TN_TITANS]

53. Don't diss Kraft singles!

It's good American cheese, although not nearly as good as the commodity cheese (honestly).... :P

[eppur_se_muova]

56. Mmmm... 64 slices of American cheese ... 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... nt

[kiahzero]

59. It's not cheese. It's "cheese food." (n/t)

[bullwinkle428]

64. Why do you hate your cat?

:rofl:

[SharonAnn]

65. They make real cheese slices, Kraft Deluxe, and our cats love them.

I usually put some on my toast or egg in the AM and my female Siamese reaches up to my arm to pull it down so that she can get the cheese.

[napi21]

23. I wonder what Mrs. Shrub serves to guests?

I remember always hearing what was going to be served to visiting dignitaries and State dinners when the Clintons were there, but you almost never hear that stuff anymore.

God bless the visitors if they always have to eat enchiladas, Tx. ribs, BarBQ, etc.

[mnhtnbb]

24. This book will sell like hotcakes--and I love that it trashes Berman

[CoffeeCat]

25. So...can we assume that when Junior...

....hosts a state dinner---that he sits at a card table, next to the big-people table?

For Pete's sake. Are there any glimmers of hope that this pResident is a normal human?
Everything you hear is bizarre and more evidence that he's just a child stuck in Freud's
anal stage.

"No icky green food!!! And I want sprinkles on my grilled cheesey!! Fishy too slimy!! Me want fish
stick Kids Cuisine with brownie and frosting!!!!"

Will America ever recover from the broccoli-banning-boy king?

[fudge stripe cookays]

61. Spark, thanks for the best giggle I"ve had all day!

One of the best laughs I've had associated with the three stages of psychosexual development.

:rofl:

[CoffeeCat]

62. Gotta love Freud!

You're sweet..fudge. :)

I always enjoy reading your posts, so that's cool that you got
a chuckle from one of mine.

Whoo hooo!

[antonialee839]

67. Oh my , I just got a picture of that in my head.....

too funny.

[readmoreoften]

26. Republicans will eat this up.

He's an ignorant all-American, stuck in his ways. A real down-home type of guy.

I swear to god we're in a national intellectual crisis more than anything else.

[Warren DeMontague]

31. Grilled Cheese- Kraft Singles on White Bread?

Fucker must be constipated halfway to next Thursday. No wonder his face always looks so pinched.

Wanna bet he asked for the crusts to be cut off, too?

[musette_sf]

45. I learned a saying when I lived in New Orleans -

"(S/He's) as crazy as a Kraft recipe".

'bout sums it up.

[Avalux]

32. "grilled-cheese sandwich on white bread with Kraft singles for President Bush"

:rofl:

[Warren DeMontague]

35. That or Cottage Cheese with Ketchup. Which is worse?

hard to say.

[leftchick]

34. cholesterol count

I wonder how bad his is.

[Marnieworld]

37. Anything but Clinton! Even the food?

These people are out of their minds.

[Marnieworld]

41. In the article it says that it was considered arrogant to serve scallops

Arrogant because Bush doesn't like them? Who is being arrogant here? This sounds like crazy King talk to me. Scallops? Off with his head!!!!

[BreweryYardRat]

46. Scallops are GOOD.

Yet more proof that Bush is an ingrate.

[Cleita]

42. Chicken fried steak and grits?

When I lived in Texas. This should've been the state dish. Everyone seemed to be eating it. It's probably too gourmet though for the white bread, Connecticut Bushes.

[FlaGranny]

44. Oh God,

I have another thing in common with Bush - I don't like "wet" fish either. The other thing I have in common with him is that we share an ancient ancestor. Ugghh. I hate having anything in common with Bush.

[judaspriestess]

49. not a surprise but I will defend

a tex-mex enchilada, tex-mex food is wonderful. There definately more to it than just an enchilada.

[AspenRose]

66. Long Live the Blanco Cafe.

:thumbsup:

[eppur_se_muova]

58. Incurious George, incurious about furriner food of course.

If I know what every item on the menu is but one, I'll probably order that item.

[stepnw1f]

60. Funny Thing is... This is the Type of Crap That Pisses off Right Wingers

I'll be happy to kick this up for more exposure.