Chef Julia Child comments on the new administration's Chefs, food, and service at the White House

By The Presidential Culinary Museum

The US Presidential Culinary Museum and US Presidential Service Center and Museum

Upon entering the White House the first family may arrange for new Servers, Florists, Social Secretary's, and Chefs to assist them. The objective after the inauguration can be to express their level of attention, desired type of cuisine and hoping to get it right. A letter from Chef Julia Child who dined and inspected such could stand the hair up on the back of your head - if you got it wrong.  She would let you and the human race know. Several years of work by the team supporting the Clintons resulted in a breath-taking response.

Child, Julia (1998-07-07)LIFE Photo Collection

Chef Julia Child

Chef Julia Child is a world known Chef and traditionally trained in the French manner.  She's been to the White House before.

Child, Julia, 1998-07-07, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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Chef Child made her way through traditional cookery school as a first-ever woman enrollee.

Child, Julia, 1998-07-07, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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Chef Julia Child loved to shop for fresh food and was a tremendous advocate for fresh markets.

Child, Julia, Dave Allocca, 1998-07-28, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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Chef Child affected many of the Chefs in the White House as children, like Chefs Walter Scheib, Martin Mongiello, Jonathan Villaneuva, Cris Comerford, and Earaina Hahn. They watched her as children.

Dave Allocca, 1998-07-28, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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If Julia Child decides to give you, "the hammer," it can be enough to shake you down to your wishbone.

The 1999 Sara Lee Frontrunner Awards menu for the White House, The White House, 1999-10-21, From the collection of: The Presidential Culinary Museum
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All of the team supporting the US Presidency worked hard to entertain in style, class and elegance. Having Chef Julia Child eating at a table was well understood to be a defining moment.

Chef Julia Child's letter to the White House about the service and food, Julia Child, 1999-10-26, From the collection of: The Presidential Culinary Museum
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Five days after the luncheon, a letter arrived at the White House mentioning how things had been perfect during President Lyndon B. Johnson and First-Lady Bird Johnson. But, not since then...

Lyndon Baines Johnson (1968) by Elizabeth ShoumatoffThe White House

President Lyndon B. Johnson

According to Chef Child, everything was perfect from the food - to the service, during President Lyndon Baines Johnson's and First Lady Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson's (née Taylor) tenure.

Claudia (Lady Bird) Taylor Johnson (Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson), Elizabeth Shoumatoff, 1968, From the collection of: The White House
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First Lady Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson's (née Taylor)

Service Plate purchased for the White House during the Dwight Eisenhower adminstration, Castleton China, inc., 1955, From the collection of: The White House
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This is a service plate in storage and gives the museum guest a view (expandable and zoom capable) of one gold cover plate at the White House. There are many to choose from for luncheons and dinners.

Francis Miller, 1967-06, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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White House Executive Chef Henry Haller (L) with Pastry Chef Ferdinand Louvat (R). Chef Haller and Chef Rene Verdon (not pictured) served the Johnson's in the White House.

Henry Haller-White House Chef, Francis Miller, 1967-06-03, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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White House Executive Chef Henry Haller

White House Chef, Francis Miller, 1967-07, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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White House Executive Chef Henry Haller tests things to make sure they are correct.

Hillary Rodham Clinton (Mrs. William Jefferson Clinton) (2003) by Simmie KnoxThe White House

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Rodham Clinton Official Portrait / U.S. Senate Historical Office, Photographer Unknown, Original Source: History, Art & Archives - United States House of Representatives
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Then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton would work hard with the teams at the White House, Air Force One and the Camp David Resort to perfect her style of entertaining, hoping for success.

Commencements, Hillary Rodham (Clinton), Lee Balterman, 1969-06, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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Hillary Clinton learned how to cook when she was young and asked for raw ingredients to be kept available for her, upstairs in the White House.

Commencements, Hillary Rodham (Clinton), Lee Balterman, 1969-06, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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Hillary created endorsed American cuisine being served in the White House. She did not mind a small amount of French being used on menus, but certainly not the entire menu.

Commencements, Hillary Rodham (Clinton), Lee Balterman, 1969-06, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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"In a departure from past practice, Mrs. Clinton said, the White House kitchen will emphasize American food rather than a French-style menu and restaurant chefs will be consulted." NY Times, 1993

Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1993-08, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
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Upon entering the house, the Clintons banned smoking and embraced Broccoli. They began naming food from where it came from in America, on the menu, and served US wines heavily.

First Lady Hillary Clinton's response letter to Chef Julia Child, The White House, 1999-11-09, From the collection of: The Presidential Culinary Museum
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All of the team that had worked so hard to make changes to the White House, source healthy cuisine via the Chefs and effectuate service by the Butlers - enjoyed these accolades.

Camp David Executive Chef Mongiello and White House Executive Chef Scheib, Chef Stormy Neal Mongiello, 2007, From the collection of: The Presidential Culinary Museum
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All American Executive Chefs take over on Air Force One, at the Camp David Resort and inside the White House to build and create no-fat, heart healthy cuisine. 1993

Inside the Presidents' Cabinet - Keynote speaker and TV shows, The Presidential Culinary Museum, 2014, From the collection of: The Presidential Culinary Museum
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Inside the Presidents' Cabinet stage and television show has appeared worldwide for over 20 years. It shares the inside story related to food of the White House and Camp David Resort.

Inside the Presidents' Cabinet - Keynote speaker, stage and TV shows, The Presidential Culinary Museum, 2014, From the collection of: The Presidential Culinary Museum
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Inside the Presidents' Cabinet stage and television show shares the inside story related to food of the White House and Camp David Resort. It also covers immediate changes within the first 100 days.

Clinton and Cleveland exhibits at the Presidential Culinary Museum (2013) by Martin CJ MongielloThe Presidential Culinary Museum

Clinton & Cleveland: Democrats with Good Taste

This digital exhibit featured portions of The Clinton and Cleveland: Democrats with Good Taste Exhibit at The US Presidential Culinary Museum, which focuses on the subject matter of new administrations staffing, food service, state dinners and tests of new ideas.

Clinton and Cleveland exhibit at the Presidential Culinary Museum, Martin CJ Mongiello, 2013, From the collection of: The Presidential Culinary Museum
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To see this exhibit in person, head to floor #2 at The US Presidential Culinary Museum. They are in the "Clinton and Cleveland: Democrats with Good Taste" section.

Clinton and Cleveland exhibits at the Presidential Culinary Museum, Martin CJ Mongiello, 2013, From the collection of: The Presidential Culinary Museum
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This exhibit has expanded over the years of 2008 to 2016.

Credits: Story

The Google Cultural Institute, Executive Chef Martin CJ Mongiello, The White House Chef Walter Scheib III, Secretary and First Lady Hillary Clinton, Mike Berlin, The White House, Chef Julia Child, LIFE, The National Women's History Museum.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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