Arroyo extols Filipina chef in White House
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday extolled Cristeta Comerford, a Filipino-American recently designated as the first female and first minority executive chef of the White House.
"I cannot miss the chance to talk about our one export who has risen to the top of her game and does the Philippines proud. Congratulations, Cristeta," the President said in a speech before members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
She said Comerford's feat epitomized the great work that overseas Filipino workers "have been doing these many years."
The 42-year-old Comerford was chosen from hundreds of applicants to head the executive kitchen. The naturalized US citizen was an assistant chef at the White House for 10 years and worked under former executive chef Walter Scheib III, who resigned in February.
Scheib said Comerford was a "wonderful choice," adding that she was a great cook with an artistic eye and a calm demeanor.
An Inquirer look at her background disclosed that Comerford was born Cristeta Gomez Pasia on October 27, 1962 to Honesto, an assistant principal in a public elementary school in Manila, and Erlinda, a homemaker.
Comerford finished elementary at Padre Gomez Elementary School in Sta. Cruz, Manila, her secondary education at the Manila Science High School.
During those years, Comerford's mother did most of the cooking for the family, said her eldest brother Dan Pasia, an environmental activist. He said that Comerford's interest in cooking only became evident when she entered the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, in 1971 as a food technology major.
Pasia said his sister had a sweet tooth and loved the local confectionery Chocnut. He also described her as a lively girl who was always smiling.
"She never seemed to have any problems, even though our family was not that rich," he said.
Comerford also appears to have been a low-key student. Some food technology professors said they did not remember having her as a student.
Comerford had three leaves of absence during her stay at UP, all of them for "traveling purposes." She never came back to finish her course after her last leave in academic year 1983-1984, according to the UP College of Home Economics.
But she was able to complete 84 units, sufficient for her to be considered a UP alumnus.
Pasia said his sister never returned because she had already immigrated to the United States to join their parents. There, she honed her cooking skills and managed to become chef in different hotels before getting the job of assistant chef at the White House kitchen in 1995.
"I cannot miss the chance to talk about our one export who has risen to the top of her game and does the Philippines proud. Congratulations, Cristeta," the President said in a speech before members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
She said Comerford's feat epitomized the great work that overseas Filipino workers "have been doing these many years."
The 42-year-old Comerford was chosen from hundreds of applicants to head the executive kitchen. The naturalized US citizen was an assistant chef at the White House for 10 years and worked under former executive chef Walter Scheib III, who resigned in February.
Scheib said Comerford was a "wonderful choice," adding that she was a great cook with an artistic eye and a calm demeanor.
An Inquirer look at her background disclosed that Comerford was born Cristeta Gomez Pasia on October 27, 1962 to Honesto, an assistant principal in a public elementary school in Manila, and Erlinda, a homemaker.
Comerford finished elementary at Padre Gomez Elementary School in Sta. Cruz, Manila, her secondary education at the Manila Science High School.
During those years, Comerford's mother did most of the cooking for the family, said her eldest brother Dan Pasia, an environmental activist. He said that Comerford's interest in cooking only became evident when she entered the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, in 1971 as a food technology major.
Pasia said his sister had a sweet tooth and loved the local confectionery Chocnut. He also described her as a lively girl who was always smiling.
"She never seemed to have any problems, even though our family was not that rich," he said.
Comerford also appears to have been a low-key student. Some food technology professors said they did not remember having her as a student.
Comerford had three leaves of absence during her stay at UP, all of them for "traveling purposes." She never came back to finish her course after her last leave in academic year 1983-1984, according to the UP College of Home Economics.
But she was able to complete 84 units, sufficient for her to be considered a UP alumnus.
Pasia said his sister never returned because she had already immigrated to the United States to join their parents. There, she honed her cooking skills and managed to become chef in different hotels before getting the job of assistant chef at the White House kitchen in 1995.
Gil Cabacungan and Cyril L. Bonabente, PDI Research
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