Sam Kass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Kass
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Kass in 2009
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| Born |
Samuel David Kass
1980 (age 44–45) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Chicago (AB) |
| Occupation | Chef, Nutrition Policy Consultant |
| Spouse(s) |
Alex Wagner
(m. 2014) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Valentine Hertz Kass Robert Kass |
| Family | Helen Valentine (great-grandmother) |
Samuel David Kass (born in 1980) is an American chef and expert in food policy. He worked for President Barack Obama as a Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition Policy. He was also the executive director for First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign. Plus, he was an assistant chef at the White House. In 2015, he became a senior food analyst for NBC News. He talks about topics like healthy eating, food trends, and food policy.
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Early Life and Education
Sam Kass grew up in Chicago, Illinois, in the Hyde Park neighborhood. His father, Robert, was a teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. He even taught President Obama's daughter, Malia Obama. Sam's mother, Valentine, is a science educator. His great-grandmother, Helen Valentine, started Seventeen magazine.
Sam went to high school at the Lab Schools. He played baseball there and graduated in 1998. He also played college baseball. He earned a degree in history from the University of Chicago in 2004.
During college, Sam worked in restaurants. He trained with chefs in Vienna, Austria, and traveled to places like New Zealand, Italy, and Mexico. He returned to Chicago in 2006 to continue his chef training.
Career Highlights
In 2007, Sam Kass started his own company called Inevitable Table. It focused on making healthy and nutritious food. He then became the personal chef for the Obama family when Barack Obama was a senator.
Working at the White House
In January 2009, Sam Kass joined the White House Office. He became the Food Initiative coordinator for First Lady Michelle Obama. He also worked as an assistant chef. In 2010, he became a Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives. By 2013, he was the executive director of the Let's Move! campaign. He was also promoted to Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition Policy.
Sam helped Michelle Obama create the first big White House Vegetable Garden since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden. This garden grew food without using harmful chemicals.
He also helped the First Lady encourage healthy eating. They worked to prevent childhood obesity. Sam was a main designer of the Let's Move! campaign. This campaign worked with private companies to try and reduce childhood obesity. Their goal was to lower it to 5% by 2030.
Fast Company magazine recognized Sam in 2011. They named him one of the 100 Most Creative People. This was for his work with Let's Move! He helped create a partnership with Walmart. Walmart promised to build stores in "food deserts" (areas without easy access to fresh food). They also agreed to lower fruit and vegetable prices. And they aimed to reduce sugar, salt, and fat in their own brand products.
Sam supports sustainable farming and organic foods grown locally. He believes in healthy food choices for everyone.
In 2012, Sam helped create the American Chef Corps. This program uses cooking to promote diplomacy around the world. He traveled to South Korea in 2014 for this program. He promoted Let's Move!, met with cooking students, and learned to cook Bulgogi.
Sam Kass left the White House on December 19, 2014. Both Barack and Michelle Obama praised his work. President Obama said Sam left a "mark on the White House" and made a "real difference for our next generation." Michelle Obama said Sam was "integral" to Let's Move! from the start. She noted his work led to healthier food options and school lunches.
After the White House
After leaving the White House, Sam Kass continued his work in food. In May 2015, he became a partner in Sprig, a meal-delivery service. In July 2015, he was named a Director's Fellow at the MIT Media Lab. He also became a Senior Food Analyst at NBC News.
In November 2015, Sam gave a TED Talk called "Want kids to learn well? Feed them well." He talked about how schools can help students be healthy.
The James Beard Foundation honored Sam in October 2015. He received a Leadership Award for his work on food policy. This award recognized his efforts to promote healthy ingredients and raise awareness about childhood obesity.
In January 2016, Sam launched TROVE. This company advises businesses on how to improve health and the planet through food. In April 2016, he joined Innit, Inc., a food technology company. He became a partner in Acre Venture Partners in May 2016. This fund invests in projects that focus on healthy and sustainable food.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) named Sam Kass a Young Global Leader in March 2017. This award recognizes people under 40 who are making a big difference in the world.
Personal Life
In September 2013, Sam Kass got engaged to MSNBC television anchor Alex Wagner. After leaving the White House, he moved to Brooklyn, New York. Sam and Alex were married on August 30, 2014. President Obama, the First Lady, and their daughters attended the wedding. Sam and Alex have two sons. Their first son, Cy, was born in 2017. Their second son, Rafael, was born in April 2019.
