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| White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen
Hardcover
Author: Walter Scheib, Andrew Friedman
Publisher: Wiley
Release Date: 2007-01-17
ISBN-10: 0471798428
ISBN-13: 9780471798422
List Price: $24.95
Average Customer Rating:
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Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com
"An engaging book about life at the Executive Mansion. . . . Hillary Clinton had charged this fiercely competitive, meticulously organized chef with bringing 'what's best about American food, wine, and entertaining to the White House.' His sophisticated contemporary food was generally considered some of the best ever served there."
--Marian Burros, New York Times
White House Chef
Join Walter Scheib as he serves up a taste--in stories and recipes--of his eleven years as White House chef under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
Scheib takes readers along on his whirlwind adventure, from his challenging audition process right up until his controversial departure. He describes his approach to meals ranging from the intimate (rooftop parties and surprise birthday celebrations for the Clintons; Tex-Mex brunches for the Bushes) to his creative approach to bringing contemporary American cuisine to the "people's house" (including innovative ways to serve state dinners for up to seven hundred people and picnics and holiday menus for several thousand guests).
Scheib goes beyond the kitchen and his job as chef. He shares what it is like to be part of President Clinton's motorcade (the "security bubble") and inside the White House during 9/11, revealing how he first evacuates his staff and then comes back to fix meals for hundreds of hungry security and rescue personnel. Staying cool under pressure also helps Scheib in other aspects of his job, such as withstanding the often-changing "temperature" of the White House and satisfying the culinary sensibilities of two very different first families.
How it really was
| Customer Rating: | I loved this book!
Walter did a great job showing us what his life and work at the White House were really like - I know because I was there with him, for all eight years of the Clinton administration. While I didn't spend much time IN the kitchen, I did have many opportunities to enjoy Walter's food, and it was always FABULOUS. It's clear Hillary encouraged him to create ever more innovative and creative menus, using the freshest, best ingredients from across the country.
It's too bad Mrs. Bush didn't value his talents more, but I guess if all you want is the same casserole every day (or a peanut butter sandwich for POTUS) then innovation and creativity don't matter so much ;-)
Walter tells an engaging story about his interactions with Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. Everyone wants the behind-the-scenes gossip, and Walter dishes with a gentle hand. It's a lovely book, with wonderful recipes. |
Captivating read, great recipes
| Customer Rating: | | This was a great look into the life of the White House chef, from the interview process to interactions with the first family and staff members to cooking for large crowds and dealing with last minute changes. The book contains interesting tidbits and stories while maintaining respect for the first family's privacy. Walter Scheib comes across as a methodical yet passionate chef, and someone that would be fascinating to spend an afternoon with. His personal preference for the Clintons over the Bushes is clear, but I thought that was an interesting aspect of what the chef must deal with on a day-to-day basis. I noticed that most of the negative reviews are based on disagreement with his personal preference for the Clintons, but if you are able to put that aside you will probably enjoy this book. The recipes are fresh and creative and most of them are not difficult to whip up in an afternoon at home. |
IN THE KITCHEN WITH WALTER SCHEIB, WHITE HOUSE EXECUTIVE CHEF
| Customer Rating: | This exceptionally fine book on what really goes on in the kitchen at the White House is simply a delightful and fun read. I marvel at how the author managed to satisfy two presidents, their families, and thousands of guests with his culinary talents and management skills.
If you enjoy reading about presidents Clinton and Bush and their families up close and personal from an executive chef's experience over eleven years in their kitchen at the White House and other places of interest, you will be pleasantly surprised and delighted - wishing for more! No political motivation here, just anecdotes, plenty of recipes, some pictures, some comparisons concerning food preferences, and plenty of insights.
So....what's for dinner? Well, Mrs.Clinton loved to entertain and discuss the menus provided by the author, Walter Scheib - she hired him away from the Greenbrier in W.Va. She depended upon him to provide her with expert advice and tasty American type food that would generate compliments, especially at state dinners. You will be wowed by what was accomplished in the kitchen during the eight Clinton years.
When the Bush family moved into the White House, Walter naturally had to adapt to their tastes which leaned more toward Tex-Mex and American comfort food.....Laura Bush asked for menus that contained food that was generous, flavorful and identifiable. She had little contact with the executive chef, prefering to allow her secretary to interact when needed. Walter created memorable meals for this family but missed the innovations eagerly anticipated by the Clintons. After four years, he was replaced by Christeta Comerford, his assistant, whom he greatly admires.
Thanks, Walter Scheib for the sheer pleasure you have given to White House readers like me - the recipes are clearly written and your descriptions of state dinners, picnics on the White House lawn, the innaugerations, etc. - just leave the reader wanting to know more! |
Wonderful read!! Interesting and well written...a class book!
| Customer Rating: | | Anyone who is interested in The White House ...should read this book! Well done! A classic! |
The Wizard in the White House Kitchen
| Customer Rating: | Walter Scheib is clearly a man deeply devoted to his metier and the pride that he had working as Executive Chef in the White House for eleven years is very clear on every page of this interesting book. As the Executive Chef at the famous Greenbrier, it is unquestionable that he would have been welcome anywhere in the US food industry but chose to go to the White House for the prestige it conferred-the money is probably not the attraction-- but also because of the challenge he was offered. Hillary Clinton had a definite vision of how the White House would be used for entertaining and Mr. Scheib was clearly thrilled by her concept of using fine American ingredients and an understanding of modern restaurant trends to develop a leading-edge cuisine for the White House.
While Mr. Scheib discusses the First Family's food preferences, this is not the most interesting part of his story, although his account of teaching Chelsea Clinton to cook is particularly charming. The Executive Mansion is a tool that can be used to increase the prestige and power of the President. Under the direction of Mrs. Clinton state dinners were expanded from a typical guest list of 130 to up to 700 people. This required impressive organizational skills, a focus on practical cooking, the ability to network and build a responsive team. Mr. Scheib was really running what amounted to an extremely fancy hotel dining room without facilities designed for it. It was surprising to learn, for example, that the White House does not have its own wine cellar.
The recipes in the book are fairly simple and not very difficult to make in a home kitchen. They call for an international blend of ingredients and a palate that needs to be more adventurous than what would be needed for institutional food. And in addition to the fusion cusine, there is plenty of American-style comfort food.
Several reviewers have commented on the perceived dislike or disdain that Mr. Scheib shows for the Bushes. I believe this overstates the case. As a conscientious professional, he was willing to accommodate the needs of the First Family and the Presidency even beyond the call of duty. It is clear that Mrs. Clinton was very focused on what she expected from him and in turn expected to be challenged and surprised by his ideas. This was a huge departure from the previous cooking at the White House and was part of Mrs. Clinton's desire to showcase the White House as representative of the best in America. Mr. Scheib is very clear that it is entirely up to the First Family as to how they wish their White House to be and the fact that Laura Bush was not as directly engaged in this was her right. Although President Bush's lunch choices are not very eclectic, he was not elected for his eating preferences. I think that Mr. Scheib, who is very discreet and seemingly apolitical, expresses disappointment as a proud and capable staff member that the abilities of his team are no longer really required in a White House where food quality is secondary at state events. The nadir must be the Congressional picnic where everything is brought in boxes from a foodservice supplier and merely reheated.
The puzzle to me is why Mr. Scheib stayed on for a full four years after the departure of the Clintons in a work environment that clearly did not challenge him much. He is obviously an organized, serious (he clearly does not suffer fools gladly!) and yet creative person in a profession that is crying for such people so he certainly could have found a terrific position elsewhere. He has since gone on to run his own business giving talks about his White House years, organizing events and teaching.
I would recommend this book if you are interested in reading about people passionate about food, mixed with some great behind-the-scenes history. I am only sorry that it does not have more pictures of the food! |
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