Filipino magazine salutes the Top Toque...White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford is spotlighted in the digital magazine Positively Filipino as an "awesome woman" readers should know about. Comerford recently visited Northern California, where she lunched with PF reporter Elena Buensalido Mangahas, who described Comerford as "awed with the food trucks in San Francisco." (Above, Comerford at far right, loving some SF food trucks)
Positively Filipino describes itself as "your window on the Filipino disapora of nearly 13 million expatriates." Comerford immigrated to America at age 23 after growing up in Sampaloc, Manila, and is regarded as a heroine in her homeland. She's been at the White House since 1995, and Executive Chef since 2005.
"Cris, a graduate of the University of the Philippines (food technology), followed with awesome determination a career pathway that every Filipina should hear about," wrote Buensalido Mangahas, adding "Want to chat with her about the notion of "dirty kitchen" and kinilaw vs. ceviche as the opening act of the Filipino Food Movement in America."
Buensalido Mangahas gave no details about that interesting chat with Comerford, nor about her career path to the hallowed White House halls. But she did lay out an imaginary scenario in which the lunch led to a visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for a personal tour of the kitchen and First Lady Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden. (Above, Comerford in uniform at the White House)Comerford "will probably give access to the White House kitchen, which I expect will have shining white tiles. No heels. She'll give a tour of the organic backyard garden that's the legacy of First Lady Michelle Obama from where Cris gets her herbs and veggies. No bringing of Ziploc," wrote Buensalido Mangahas.
Apparently she missed the memo that tours of the White House--including through the Kitchen Garden--are now over, thanks to the sequester.
*Top photo courtesy of Elena Buensalido Mangahas, Positively Filipino; second by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama
