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ImmigrationProf Blog
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Immigrant of the Day: Cristeta Comerford (Philippines)

By immigrationprof

Cristeta_comerford Cristeta Comerford (born October 1962) is the White House Executive Chef. She is the first woman to be selected for the post, and also the first of Filipino descent.

Comerford was born in Manila, She attended the University of the Philippines and majored in food technology. Comerford left school to immigrate to the United States at the age of 23. Her first job in he U.S. was at the Sheraton Hotel near O’Hare International Airport. She also worked at the Hyatt Regency hotel. Comerford moved to Washington, D.C. and worked as a chef at two restaurants. She also spent six months in Vienna, Austria, as a rotating chef.

In 1995, Comerford was recruited by executive chef Walter Scheib III to work in the Clinton White House. In 2005, when Scheib resigned as executive chef, First Lady Laura Bush selected Comerford to replace him.  (For the press release, click here).  Rumor has it that Comerford was appointed to this position because of the excellent dinner she prepared in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

KJ