Cristeta Comerford facts for kids
 |
|
| Born | Cristeta Gomez Pasia October 27, 1962 Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines |
|---|---|
| Cooking style | French |
| Education | University of the Philippines Diliman (dropped out) |
| Spouse | John Comerford |
Cristeta Comerford is a talented chef who was born on October 27, 1962. She is a Filipino-American, meaning she has roots in the Philippines and is also an American citizen. From 2005 until she retired in 2024, Cristeta Comerford held a very special job: she was the White House Executive Chef. This means she was in charge of all the food prepared for the President of the United States and their guests! She made history as the first woman and the first person of Asian background to ever have this important role.
Contents
Early Life: Growing Up
Cristeta Comerford was born as Cristeta Gomez Pasia. Her birthplace was Sampaloc, Manila, in the Philippines. Her father, Honesto Pasia, was an assistant principal at a public school. Her mother's name was Erlinda Gomez.
Cristeta grew up on Cataluña Street in Sampaloc, Manila. She went to Manila Science High School for her secondary education. Later, she studied food technology at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. This university is located in Quezon City. However, she moved to the United States when she was 23 years old. She left school before finishing her degree.
A Chef's Journey: From Kitchens to the White House
Cristeta Comerford's first job as a chef was in Chicago, Illinois. She worked at the Sheraton Hotel near O'Hare International Airport. She also gained experience at the Hyatt Regency hotel.
After working in Chicago, she moved to Washington, D.C.. There, she continued her career as a chef at two different restaurants. She also spent six months working as a rotating chef in Vienna.
Joining the White House Kitchen
In 1995, Cristeta was invited to join the Clinton White House. The White House executive chef at the time, Walter S. Scheib III, recruited her. She started as an assistant chef.
In February 2005, Chef Scheib left his position. On August 14, 2005, First Lady Laura Bush chose Cristeta Comerford to be the new White House executive chef. This was a huge moment because Cristeta became the first woman to ever hold this important job! People say she was chosen because she did an amazing job handling a big dinner. This dinner was held to honor the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh.
Cooking for Presidents
On January 9, 2009, the team preparing for Barack Obama's presidency announced something exciting. They said that Cristeta Comerford would stay on as the head chef for the new administration. Michelle Obama shared her thoughts, saying, "She is also the mom of a young daughter, and I appreciate our shared perspective on the importance of healthy eating and healthy families."
Cristeta Comerford even appeared on a special TV show called Iron Chef America. This episode was shown on January 2, 2010. She teamed up with famous chef Bobby Flay. They competed against another team of well-known chefs, Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali.
As a chef who cooks for a head of state, Cristeta Comerford is part of a special group. This group is called Le Club des Chefs des Chefs. It's a club for chefs who cook for world leaders.
Cristeta Comerford retired from her role at the White House in July 2024.
Life Outside the Kitchen
Cristeta Comerford is married to John Comerford. They have one daughter named Danielle. While Cristeta worked at the White House, their family lived in Columbia, Maryland. After she retired, the couple planned to move to South Florida.
