August 26, 2005
Written by C.N.
New White House Chef is a Filipina
The Associated Press reports that after a six-month search to find a new Executive Chef at the White House, the winner is Cristeta “Cris” Comerford, who was an assistant chef at the White House under the previous executive chef:
A naturalized U.S. citizen from the Philippines, she will be the first woman and first minority to hold the post. . . . [Former executive chef Walter Scheib] said Sunday that Comerford was hands down the best assistant he has had in his 30-year career. She is a great cook with an artistic eye and a calm demeanor that can handle the pressure cooker that is the White House kitchen, he said.
On the one hand, I congratulate Cristeta and am happy that an Asian American woman has risen to such a relatively prominent position at the White House. On the other hand, I can’t help but feel a little cautious about the image that her appointment potentially represents.
In other words, does her promotion to White House Executive Chef in some way reinforce the perptuate the patriarchal and stereotypical image of Asian women as household servants? Hmmm . . .
Author Citation
Copyright © 2001- by C.N. Le. Some rights reserved. 
Suggested reference: Le, C.N. . "New White House Chef is a Filipina" Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America. <https://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/2005/08/new-white-house-chef-is-a-filipina/> ().
Short URL: https://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/?p=124
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