White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford plates quinoa black bean and corn salad in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House before the Kids' State Dinner, Aug. 20, 2012. (Photo courtesy: Sonya N. Hebert)

Cristeta “Cris” Comerford brought a new menu to the President and the First Family when she became the White House executive chef on Aug. 15, 2005.

Her appointment as head chef came with not just one, but several firsts: the first woman, the first person of color, the first Asian and the first Filipino to lead this position. For the first time, culinary artists of diverse identities could see themselves represented in one of America’s most prominent culinary teams.

Growing up in a family of eleven children in the Philippines, Comerford 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, Comerford always supported her mother as she cooked, and today she recognizes her as her primary inspiration for becoming a chef.

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.

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. “Her passion for cooking can be tasted in every bite of her delicious creations,” Bush stated in a White House press release expressing her delight at Comerford accepting the job.

A black-and-white photograph of Cristeta Comerford from the White House Photo Office. (Photo courtesy: The U.S. National Archives)

Comerford’s start as executive chef offered the opportunity for Filipino culinary staples to be reflected in dinners for some of the most influential figures worldwide. Upon her hiring, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Philippine Embassy at the time, Evan Garcia, was quoted saying, “Maybe she can start offering lumpias [a type of spring roll that is typically filled with ground pork and various vegetables] in the White House,” to the Washington Post. In actuality, Comerford said the nature of her job is more geared towards her audience’s preferences. Nevertheless, her mother’s recipes, many of which are rooted in Filipino cuisine, continue to influence her culinary creations. “I may not serve a big heaping pile of adobo, but I’ll use it as a stuffing for another dish,” Comerford told Asia Society.

Despite the country’s ever-changing political circumstances, she has remained a consistent presence for the thousands of patrons who are invited to government-related functions every year. Comerford has served as an irreplaceable part of the culinary team for the past four White House administrations and continues on as the executive chef under the Biden administration.

As we approach the conclusion of Women’s History Month and the start of USC’s observance of AAPI Heritage Month, Comerford’s groundbreaking accomplishments not only exemplify how Asian American women are inseparable from the American culinary landscape, but how they are pioneers in a professional field that is historically dominated by white men. Comerford, a Filipino woman, leading a kitchen that has such immense visibility in America is to be celebrated with hope and joy for the Asian American community.

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