| Article Index |
|---|
| White House Top Chef Honored in DC - Comerford Pleads for More Help to Flood Victims in RP |
| Page 2 |
| All Pages |
WASHINGTON, DC—White House executive chef Cristeta Pasia Comerford was honored last weekend at the Ambassador’s residence here, and she took the opportunity to call on fellow Filipinos to continue supporting the victims of typhoon Ondoy back in the Philippines."Let’s keep the Filipinos back home in our prayers and in our thoughts because no matter how resilient and how strong Filipinos are, they still need our help back there. Ihope that we’ll all be there to help them, because we have friends and relatives that really need our help," Comerford told the audience. The special weekend reception was an opportunity or Comerford to be with fellow kababayans and she proudly said that there is always that affinity, especially in big Filipino gatherings and she finds that heartwarming.
"In our community, no matter where we are, we’re always like one big family," she said.
The White House executive chef also mentioned that she just arrived from a trip to the Philippines last month where she also received an award, and it was just like the reception she was given here tonight. Comerford said that she has a lot to be thankful for.
"Let me just pour my heart out a little bit. Every time I come to the Filipino community, they’ve really honored me and just celebrated this biggest thing in my life, which is such an endearing thing for me," she said in her short speech.
Comerford received the Mama Sita Award for Culinary Excellence from Mama Sita Foundation Clara Lapus. The award is named after the late Teresita "Mama Sita" Reyes, a trailblazer in quality Philippine cuisine.
She thanked the Mama Sita Foundation and acknowledged that her parents and all her sisters use their line of products. Mama Sita has become synonymous with Filipino cuisine, selling caldereta and sinigang mixes and various sauces, which are used in traditional Filipino cooking.
Ambassador Willy Gaa said Filipinos owe a debt of gratitude to people like Comerford for the honor they bring to all Filipinos.
"Cris is the pride of the Filipinos insofar as culinary arts are concerned," Ambassador Gaa said, referring to her by her popular nickname.In 2005, Ms. Comerford became the first woman, the first cultural minority (Asian American), and the first Filipino American to become White House executive chef. Before that, she was its assistant chef for a decade. First Lady Laura Bush appointed her to the top position, after considering hundreds of top chefs nationwide.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
