Filipino White House Chef draws attention to healthy eating
Only one more month till we see Filipino White House Chef, Cristeta Comerford, in an Iron Chef America challenge against renowned chefs Bobby Flay, Mario Batalli, and Emeril Legasse. First Lady, Michelle Obama, will make a cameo appearance introducing the secret ingredient: anything grown in the 1,100 square foot White House garden.
The White House approached the Food Network about filming “Iron Chef America” at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. as a way to reach those people who haven’t heard yet about the first lady’s efforts to curb childhood obesity through healthy eating and exercise, the New York Times reports.
Actress Jane Seymour, food writer and journalist Nigella Lawson, and Olympic gold medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin will judge. The episode will air Jan 3, 2010 on The Food Network @8pm/ET. [Note: Coughlin is Filipino too (part)] 
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Comerford was hired at the White House in 1995 as an assistant and became the first woman and Filipino to hold the White House Chef position when she was hired by Laura Bush in 2005. Sharing the perspective on the importance of healthy eating and healthy families, Michelle Obama announced that Comerford would remain as White House Chef in early 2009. More on Comerford. 
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Sources: Slashfood, The Washington Post, Wiki
Keywords: Filipino White House chef, Filipina White House chef, Filipino on Iron Chef, childhood obesity, Michelle Obama, Public Health, healthy eating, healthy habits, healthy practices
