Chef Cristeta Pasia Comerford

White House executive chef Cristeta Pasia Comerford was feted at a special weekend reception at the Ambassador’s residence, receiving another award for culinary excellence. She received the Mama Sita Award for Culinary Excellence, which is named after the Reyes matriarch Teresita Reyes.

Comerford was born in the Philippines and grew up in Sampaloc, Manila. She studied at the University of the Philippines but her food technology education was cut short when she had to fly to the US, settling in the Obamas’ hometown of Chicago.

She was recruited in 1995 by White House executive chef Walter Schieb III but got her big break in 2005 when he resigned and First Lady Laura Bush promoted her to executive chef. When the Obamas moved into the White House in January, Michelle asked her to stay on.

Concluding her short acceptance speech, she reminded the audience about the plight of disaster victims back home.“Just keep the Filipinos back home in your thoughts and your prayers because no matter how resilient and strong Filipinos are, they still need our help.”