texasmesquite

Originally posted: November 22, 2008
Dig up roses for a White House produce garden?

Posted by Bill Daley at 3:12 p.m. CST
Source: Chicago Tribune
The White House garder would do well to sharpen up his pitchfork if the Obamas were to choose Rick Bayless as their executive chef.
"Who needs all those roses?" a playful Bayless told the crowd during his cooking demonstration at the FamilyFarmed Expo Saturday. "I'd dig them up for good."
Bayless, a chef with cookbooks, cooking shows and two of Chicago's top restaurants, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, has been just one celebrity toque bandied about in the speculation on who should run the White House kitchen if the current chef, Cristeta Comerford, is replaced. (Art Smith of Table fifty-two and Oprah fame is another.) So, Bayless was clearly ready when a woman in the audience asked him about the White House.
"Should I do it?" he replied, grinning broadly. The audience broke out in a roar, seemingly evenly divided on whether he should take the job or stay here in Chicago.
Given his empire, it's pretty obvious Bayless is not going anywhere but he thought just being considered, by the public at least, was "pretty cool" especially since he said his cuisine isn't "mainstream food."
"Some people are ready for a change right down to the chef,'' he said.
As for digging up the Rose Garden or, more realistically perhaps, a portion of the White House's expansive South Lawn, Bayless is seriously for it.
"First thing, plant a garden there,'' he said. "There's no reason the White House can't set an example."
Bayless, like many others in the food community, notably Alice Waters of California's Chez Panisse restaurant, believe a White House garden will underscore the importance of growing and eating locally and sustainably-grown foods.
Celebrating what's local and sustainable is the theme of the FamilyFarmed Expo, which continues until 7 p.m. today at the Chicago Cultural Center and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Besides cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs like Bayless, Tru's Gale Gand and Blackbird's Paul Kahan, there are workshops and panel discussions, local food tastings and dozens of vendors displaying their local wares.
Some 2,000 to 3,000 people are expected each day at the Expo.