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White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford. ABS-CBN News/File

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White House's Fil-Am executive chef Cristeta Comerford hangs up her apron

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1722584963890White House executive chef Cristeta 08022024.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford. ABS-CBN News/File</span> </span></span></span></div><p>WASHINGTON DC -- After serving five United States presidents for nearly 30 years, Cristeta Comerford is turning the stoves off and hanging up her apron. </p><p>Comerford, 61, is the first woman to become the executive chef at the White House, and is also the first Asian and Filipino-American to hold the position. </p><p>She has cooked for presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, and their families.</p><p>&quot;I always say, food is love. Through her barrier-breaking career, Chef Cris has led her team with warmth and creativity, and nourished our souls along the way,&quot; First Lady Jill Biden said in a statement, as reported by CNN. </p><p>&quot;With all our hearts, Joe (US president Joe Biden) and I are filled with gratitude for her dedication and years of service,&quot; she added. </p><p>Comerford first worked at the White House as an assistant chef in 1995 under Clinton. </p><p>It was in 2005 when she was appointed to the executive chef position by First Lady Laura Bush, who was impressed with her cooking skills. </p><p>According to Comerford, great cooks run in her family. &quot;My first food memories and experiences came from my lola. I grew up in Bulacan and they&#x27;re well-known for their great cuisine and great cooking. All the women [were] helping in the kitchen and cooking together,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;My dad&#x27;s hometown is Batangas, which is the other way around -- it&#x27;s only men that are allowed to do cooking. So the women are not allowed to help out in the kitchen,&quot; she continued. &quot;So I get both of these beautiful worlds of my father and my mother... I have two great cooks that really honed me into this person that I am today.&quot;</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3064747"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>In a past Fil-Am gathering, Comerford expressed her dream of passing the baton to the younger generation. </p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s really been a great experience and opportunity but my commission for myself is to pass this along to the younger generation...That they&#x27;d be doing even more of what the previous Filipino-American has done for this country,&quot; she said.</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3064748"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>Comerford graduated with a bachelor&#x27;s degree in Food Technology at the University of the Philippines. </p><p>Her 34 years of culinary experience also include working at fine dining restaurants in Washington DC and Chicago, as well as in Austria, Napa Valley, and France.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/11/11/19/cristeta-comerford-first-asian-executive-chef-of-white-house-gets-up-honorary-degree">Cristeta Comerford, first Asian executive chef of White House, gets UP honorary degree</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/4/10/what-s-on-the-menu-fil-am-white-house-chef-prepares-state-dinner-for-japanese-pm-944">What&#x27;s on the menu: Fil-Am White House chef prepares State Dinner for Japanese PM</a></div>

<p>After serving five United States presidents for nearly 30 years, Cristeta Comerford is turning the stoves off and hanging up her apron.</p>

After serving five United States presidents for nearly 30 years, Cristeta Comerford is turning the stoves off and hanging up her apron.