TBT: ASIAN WHITE HOUSE CHEFS

 TBT: Last week in spite of jetlag, I attended the Clinton Library's talk given by both Adrian Miller and via Zoom his co-author Deborah Chang re: their collaboration of writing Cooking to the Presidents Taste: Asian Heritage Chefs in White House History." 

Both authors met when they attended Stanford while working towards becoming  lawyers, not cookbook authors.

Years later at a dinner party the two crossed paths again and both left law to collaborate on this book.

Amiable and quick-witted Adrian found another passion in researching as a lawyer and it was Deborah who asked him to collaborate in writing about food, specifically food prepared by Asian Chefs in the White House. After all, he had been a judge in a Bar-B-Q cookoff! She had grown up in her parents' restaurant business. He handled the history and research while Deborah tested and developed all 60 recipes in the book. 

Through the years, many ethnic cooks have graced the White House kitchen, yacht, and Camp David cooking for our Presidents, especially Asian chefs. Chinese chefs like Ah Loy for Roosevelt, Harry Truman had a favorite Filipino chef, Lee Ping Quan, who cooked for Harding and Coolidge in addition to Shiro Tsurusaki. Filipinos like Ireno Esperancilla served Hoover through Eisenhower, and later Filipina Cristeta Comerford ran the White House kitchen from 2005- 2024 for 5 presidents. Right now, the executive chef is Thai American, Tony Kurpradit.

 The night's attendees were treated to a yummy chocolate chip cookie in addition to recipes both in this book and others by Adrian  Miller. 

I am so glad Miller and Chang collaborated, and I was privy to hear about their work!