Important Culinary Figure - Biographical Highlight Research Paper feature Cristeta Comerford

1. Important Culinary Figure
– Biographical Highlight
Research Paper
Phoebe Cates T. Fernandez

2. Cristeta Comerford – Breaking Stereotypes
at the White House
There is an old saying that “women make good cooks, but men make better
chefs”. Setting aside the inaccuracy of this statement, it does tell us something
important about the way that society looks at the roles of men and women in the
kitchen. Women have traditionally taken on the role of family cook, but they were
usually not seen as suitable candidates for the more complex and prestigious job
of managing elaborate kitchens in fancy restaurants. For decades, women have
fought for equality in every aspect of their lives. And it is certainly true that this
overall trend towards equality has had an impact in the professional kitchen. At the
same time, inspirational female chefs and restaurateurs have shown the world what
we are capable of.

3. Meet Cristeta Gomez Pasia-Comerford, the first
woman, the first person of color, the first Asian, the
first Filipino to lead the position as the White house
Executive Chef and probably the longest running
Executive Chef in the White House. For the first time,
culinary artists of diverse identities could see themselves
represented in one of America’s most prominent
culinary teams. Former first lady Laura Bush, wife of
George Bush, selected her as the next executive chef
when she and her husband entered the White House.
She remained as White House executive chef under
former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump
and has continued in her role under President Joe
Biden.

4. Cristeta Comerford was born on October 27, 1962, in Manila, Philippines. She grew
up in Manila's Sampaloc neighborhood with 10 siblings: six half-brothers, one half-sister
and three full sisters. She was the second youngest child in her family. Her father,
Honesto Pasia, was a school principal and her mother, Erlinda Gomez, was a
dressmaker. Growing up in a family of eleven children, she was fascinated by her
mother’s ability to create meals that every family member would savor. Her mother was
a natural in the kitchen, she could seamlessly blend flavors together without a recipe in
sight. As a child, she was always supported by her mother as she cooked and today, she
recognizes her as her primary inspiration for becoming a chef. She completed her
secondary education at the Manila Science High School. She attended the University of
the Philippines, Diliman in Quezon City, majoring in food technology. She left before
completing her degree because she obtained a visa from the United States, where her
brother, Juanito Pasia, was already working. She immigrated to the United States when
she was 23, along with several family members who arrived in Chicago.

5. Comerford’s first professional kitchen experience took place back in 1983, when
she worked as a salad bar attendant in Chicago after her family moved there from
Manila. Although she regarded her position as unimportant at the time, Comerford
now acknowledges the importance of the job after seeing how the execution of their
events would not be possible without the support of the salad bar attendant who
currently works with her. She attributes this first job with teaching her the teamwork
and self-organization skills that she carries into her present culinary career. She worked
at another hotel around O'Hare before becoming a chef in the restaurants of two
Washington hotels: Le Grande Bistro at the Westin Hotel and the Colonnade at the
former ANA Hotel. Comerford also worked as a chef tournant (aka revolving chef) at
Le Ciel in Vienna, Austria, for six months. There, she became proficient in preparing
classic French cuisine.

6. In 1995, Comerford made her White House debut when Walter Scheib III, the
executive chef at the time, appointed her as assistant chef. As assistant chef, Comerford
was involved in curating menus for the state dinner honoring the President of the
Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as well as celebratory dinners for William
Shakespeare’s birthday. Her time as assistant chef culminated in her phenomenal
leadership at the official banquet honoring the then Prime Minister of India,
Manmohan Singh. At the time, Comerford was unaware that this dinner, which served
136 guests, would be the menu tasting that solidified her hiring as executive chef. Laura
Bush, then the First Lady, observed her exceptional performance in the months prior to
the banquet and formalized her decision to promote Comerford as leading chef upon
her handling of the event.

7. As an executive chef her primary job is to take care of the First Family. In addition to her
work, she would also take care of and organize the staff whenever there are events such as
social gatherings and official meetings. She would also take care of different groups from an
intimate dinner for two to a state dinner for the monarchy. She also plans and designs the menus
for official dinners, social events or family entertainment. The position also gives her the
opportunity to belong to an elite gastronomic society called Le Club des Chefs des Chefs of
which only the personal or executive chef of a Head of State fit in.
Comerford appeared on a special two-hour episode of Iron Chef America, originally
broadcast on January 2, 2010. She was teamed up with Bobby Flay and competed against a team
of Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali, they were triumphant. She also receives Honor from March
of Dimes Chicago as 2010 Chef of the Year, she is being honored for her commitment to
culinary arts, dedication to the environment, the farming industry, healthy eating, and an eco-
friendly lifestyle. Accomplishments include bringing nationwide attention to healthy eating and
reducing childhood obesity.

8. Because of her strong belief in family and community, she had faithfully served as a
church deacon and currently leads a home study group with her husband, John. They
have both volunteered on humanitarian trips to an impoverished town in Brazil.
Recently, she was a keynote speaker at an International Women's Leadership Conference
hosted by the Governor of Hawaii, Gov. Linda Lingle. Mentorship to younger
culinarians led her to speak to students at the Kapiolani Community College in
Honolulu.
Just like every person of color and a minority, she is extremely proud of her origin
and her upbringing. Without her stay in Manila and growing up there, she would not
have gotten where she is now in her career. Her talent and origin made her unique and
stand out. She believes in the community and family. She remains to be an inspiration to
minority persons who aspire to be great chefs. She is truly an amazing chef with great
culinary skills to offer.

9. It is hard to think that women were once not allowed to dine in restaurants less than a
century ago, much alone manage them. Now, female chefs oversee some of the
successful kitchens all over the world. The cornerstones of success have been their
enthusiasm for cooking and talent. They keep inspiring everyone all over the world.
These female chefs continue to astonish and inspire by bringing food to life and
overcoming all odds to excel. By relying on their instincts, these women are
establishing legacies ranging from the farm-to-table movement to promoting native
cuisines and winning awards to creating new milestones. They are paving the way for
more women to follow in their footsteps.
References:
https://www.biography.com/people/cristeta-comerford-white-house-chef
https://asiasociety.org/cris-comerford-filipino-and-proud
https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/philippines/top-10-facts-about-cristeta-
comerford/