White House Pinay chef serves up adobo, San Miguel beer

WASHINGTON D.C. – This past Saturday, White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford cooked for a packed house at Tenh Penh, one of Washington, D.C.’s best known and best reviewed Asian restaurants. The guest list included Philippine ambassador Willy C. Gaa, many more proud Filipinos, and one Pamela Anderson (sadly, not the one of Baywatch and Tommy Lee fame). The event, entitled “Pahiyas," for the Quezon harvest festival of the same name, was sponsored by the Philippine Embassy, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Tenh Penh Restaurant. Cristeta Comerford is not only the first woman to hold the esteemed position of White House executive chef, she is also the first minority to ever head the White House kitchen. Her appointment was momentous, not only in the Filipino American community, but particularly among women in the food industry, who had strongly advocated the change when the former White House executive chef, and Comerford’s former boss, Walter Scheib stepped down. According to Chef2Chef.Net, a popular culinary Web site, women represent “half of all food service workers but just 7 percent of executive chefs…. Even fewer women hold the ‘clout’ jobs, such as White House chef." For her ability to break through multiple glass ceilings, Comerford cut quite an unimposing figure, her dark hair pulled back in a simple black butterfly clip, her face framed by rectangular black glasses with ears punctuated by small studded earrings. She sliced through bananas and rolled rice paper with a dexterity and fluidity that may be preternatural, but more likely was honed through a lifetime of experience that included helping her mother prepare food for herself and 10 siblings. The theme of the lunch was “rice," and each of the six delicious courses served contained some sort of rice element. The cooking demonstration began with escabeche, a fish and rice dish that derives its exquisite taste from its vinegar mixture and its medley of vegetables. This was followed by the Filipino staple, chicken adobo, which, fittingly, was paired with another well-loved Filipino culinary trademark: San Miguel beer. Next came arroz caldo, paired with French Pinot Gris, and an immaculate paella arroz de la valenciana, which may just have been the most delicious paella I could ever hope to eat in my lifetime. The meal was sealed with “turon," a deep fried banana egg roll paired with jackfruit. The standout ingredient in this turon, however, was the turbinado sugar that Chef Comerford applied to both the inside and outside of the roll, giving the turon not only an extra shot of sweetness, but a beautiful coloring and delightful, crunchy texture as well. The application of the turbinado sugar showcased Chef Comerford’s sweet tooth (dessert, she said, is her favorite part of the meal) and her attention to detail. An attention to detail, it seems, that may have made her a terrific scientist in another life. A self-described “science geek," Comerford had no intention of pursuing a culinary career upon completing high school. Rather, she wanted to pursue her love of the sciences, but was encouraged by her father to pursue the culinary arts. At the time, she explains, cooking just did not seem like a legitimate career. It certainly did not resemble the white-collar dreams that most Filipino parents harbor for their kids (raise your hands if your Mom wanted you to be a doctor or lawyer, everybody,) and it certainly did not resemble any expectations Comerford had for herself. George Bush’s palate, then, should thank Cristeta Comerford’s father for his persistence in pushing his daughter towards culinary school. In fact, we should all be grateful that Cristeta is mixing garlic, ginger and clovers for a delicious arroz caldo instead of determining the fluoride content of tap water. The Filipino community has uniformly embraced their star chef. She acknowledges that she went overnight from being a “nobody," to being the guest of honor of her own welcoming gala. She has done this all with an astonishing grace and lack of pretentiousness. Indeed, one does not sense an ounce of the diva-esque attitude that is a rumored characteristic of the world’s premier chefs. Even as Chef Comerford dazzled the crowd Saturday, alongside Tenh Penh’s chef de cuisine, Cliff Wharton, himself a Filipino, she was quick to acknowledge the work of her staff. She maintained the demeanor of someone who did not crave or seek the spotlight, but readily accepts it and its responsibilities. Her explanations of the food and its preparation were thorough, and she even offered interesting insight into the history and origins of some of the food: jackfruit, for instance, is a fruit so sweet and pungent that Filipino farmers often cover them in sack-cloths to keep the bats and insects from getting into them. As the attendees of the exclusive event savored the sublime paella, a voice arose from the back, asking Comerford why, given the deliciousness of Filipino food – and the robust Filipino demographic in the United States — Filipino food isn’t more popular. Comerford offered that Filipinos aren’t really restaurant-going people; moreover, Filipinos have always preferred homemade Filipino food as opposed to outside Filipino food. “Even in the Philippines," Comerford explained, “there aren’t many Filipino restaurants." We abide by the belief that no one can make our favorite adobo quite like mom can. Comerford later told me that cooking simply wasn’t looked at as a legitimate career for a while, and she herself didn’t consider it one. However, with the proliferation of food in the media – via the Food Network, Rachel Ray and Martha Stewart – Comerford believes that more people have accepted and embraced the possibility of a culinary career. From her inauspicious start in the Philippines cooking alongside her mother, to preparing meals for the world’s most prominent political figures, Cristeta Comerford’s passion for cooking will surely inspire a generation of rising female and minority cooks. Moreover, her grace, humility, and good humor remind us that, even in the most controversial of political residences, nice guys (and nice girls) really can finish first. - Philippine News