Dining at the White House: From the President's Table to Yours

by John Moeller

A must read for any Presidential buff or foodie! This book provides an insider's view of what it is like to dine at the White House and describes Chef Moeller's most memorable moments cooking for three First Families. It includes over 100 recipes for one-of-a-kind dishes featuring his trademark use of fresh, seasonal ingredients inspired by his classical French training with an American twist. Useful chef notes help adapt fine French cooking techniques for the home cook.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction

416 pages, Hardcover

First published November 21, 2013

About the author

Chef John Moeller is a member of an elite corps of chefs who have served in the White House preparing très soigné cuisine for three Presidents, First Families, and their guests, including world leaders like Tony Blair and Nelson Mandela, and for famous guests like Julia Child and Sophia Loren. In his new book Dining at the White House—From the President’s Table to Yours, Chef Moeller gives the reader and insider’s view of what it is like to dine in America’s most famous home.

The book describes his most memorable moments and includes over 100 recipes for one-of-a-kind dishes featuring his trademark use of fresh, seasonal ingredients inspired by his classical French training with an American twist. Useful chef notes help adapt fine French cooking techniques for the home cook.

Reviews

[Sal Glynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nineteenth century gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin’s aphorism, “Tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are,” could serve as an epigraph for Dining at the White House. The terrible years of Richard Nixon dining on cottage cheese and ketchup are consigned to the distant past by author and chef John Moeller’s dedication in the kitchen. Both Bush generations and the Clintons enjoyed the many state dinners and family meals created by John that celebrated the possibilities in American cuisine, from Hubbard Squash and Fennel Soup with Shredded Smoked Great Lakes Whitefish to Pan-Seared Bison Loin with Madeira Sauce.

John writes of his early training in France and the different presidents he served with humor and a clear-eyed understanding of food’s importance on the national table. The many photographs show place settings, preparation in the kitchen, and many menus. Dining at the White House goes beyond expectations and includes tested recipes for the home chef. You, too, can surprise your guests with the same Artichoke and Leek Soup served to Vladimir Putin, the Leek and Cheese Crisp from the luncheon for His Excellency Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, or Braised Rabbit from the plate of Italian President Guiliano Amato. Why wait for the holidays? Get a copy now and start cooking like they do in the nation’s capitol.

[Adam Bricker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part history book, part cook book, all memoir, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read from a fellow Lancasterian. Great stories and easy down to Earth style writing makes this book very good. Some of the points are a bit overly repeated, but for the most part, just a great quick read!

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at how the President gets his food Former White House chef John Moeller shares his recollections as he served three Presidents from their daily meals to State Dinners and everything in between. If you've ever wondered how the Presidents and their families eat, this was a great read.
 
Moeller's book mostly goes chronologically from the first President Bush to Clinton to the second Bush. Special sections are dedicated to when the new President and his family arrived, Christmas at the White House and entertaining the WH. With the latter part of the Clinton WH and the first term of GWB's, Moeller talks about certain events in greater detail: celebrations, 9/11 and the like. It was actually very fascinating to see what a staffer like the chef (vs. say the First Lady or Vice President Cheney) went through. Moeller and the others didn't have the Secret Service to watch their backs and he recounts trying to get home, along with the rest of Washington, DC.
 
Topics from the calligraphy used on the cards and invitations to the tableware to recipes to how the food actually travels from the kitchen to wherever people are dining are all addressed. I appreciated the fact that the book really is non-partisan. The words "Republican" or "Democrat" rarely appear in the book, as he is solely concerned with FOOD.There isn't any negative words for any of the Presidents and their families and he seems to remember all of them fondly (while noting they also have different tastes, likes, etc.).
 
Which is not to say politics doesn't appear in a fashion: he discusses the departure of one chef in the beginning and how he had been passed over for the role of executive chef near the end (which seemed to have to do with why he chose to leave, although it's written in a neutral, polite manner and he acknowledged the positives of the new chef).
 
There are also excellent pictures of the food, menus, thank you notes, staff members working and staff members with celebrities or politicians, etc. The book's text wasn't very well-written. It seemed very stilted (probably due to the fact that all the Presidents he served are still living and are recent presidents) and wasn't extremely engaging. It makes for a GREAT coffee table book though for a waiting room or otherwise. I'm glad I got it super cheap. Check it out from the library if you're interested and decide if you really want to buy it for the coffee table or because you want to try some of the recipes included. :)
 
 

[Roaldeuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just OK. One big complaint I have is that it is ghost written - at least that is how I interpret "with Mike Lovell" on the title page. [EDIT: I have subsequently been informed that this book was based on tape recorded conversations with John Moeller] I generally find the prose style of ghost written books fairly bland, and this was no exception. I'd much rather read the author's own words, however unpolished they might be. As a result, there is a lot of insipid writing, e.g. - "A state dinner is a grand and exciting affair. It gives the President the opportunity to showcase the best that the White House can offer and at the same time, it honors the guests. Everyone remembers a state dinner." There are many passages like that. On the other hand, there are plenty of interesting vignettes of life in the White House: menus planning, acquiring provisions, interacting with the First Family, and so forth. I enjoyed learning about the different sets of china commissioned by various presidents over the years. The logistics of hosting dinner for 200 or 300 guests were quite interesting. The recipes at the end of the book were intriguing, if somewhat conservative. I will probably make the chocolate truffle dessert featured on the dust jacket. Unsurprisingly, there are almost no politics. Overall a decent if uninspired read.

[Roaldeuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just OK. One big complaint I have is that it is ghost written - at least that is how I interpret "with Mike Lovell" on the title page. I generally find the prose style of ghost written books fairly bland, and this was no exception. I'd much rather read the author's own words, however unpolished they might be. As a result, there is a lot of insipid writing, e.g. - "A state dinner is a grand and exciting affair. It gives the President the opportunity to showcase the best that the White House can offer and at the same time, it honors the guests. Everyone remembers a state dinner." There are many passages like that. On the other hand, there are plenty of interesting vignettes of life in the White House: menus planning, acquiring provisions, interacting with the First Family, and so forth. I enjoyed learning about the different sets of china commissioned by various presidents over the years. The logistics of hosting dinner for 200 or 300 guests were quite interesting. The recipes at the end of the book were intriguing, if somewhat conservative. I will probably make the chocolate truffle dessert featured on the dust jacket. Unsurprisingly, there are almost no politics. Overall a decent if uninspired read.

[Carol Summerville · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was filled with information by a chef that served several American presidents. It's mostly menus and recipes about meals at the White House, but he also talks about the families and the foods they like to eat. The lengths that the cooks at the White House go to to make a meal special is astounding, not to mention when there's a state dinner or special guests to the White House. I'm just envious that I've never had the opportunity to have a meal at the White House. The photo and recipe of lobster in mayonnaise sauce looked good enough to eat off the page.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful memoir about everyday life in the White House serving the first families of George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Also includes wonderful recipes and gorgeous pictures of official function menus, the final plating of the food, and personal photos of the Presidential families with the staff. A great book for anyone interested in the Everyday Life at the White House or a foodie!!

[MaryEllen Elizabeth Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting book by John Moeller. His perspective as the White House Chef and his elegant recipes are wonderful. How fun to have insights into the dining of World Class Statesmen and Women. John is a classic French chef and most of his menus are French Cuisine creations. Masterpieces. My mouth was watering reading his menus and recipes. I am planning upon re-reading this book regularly. I really felt inspired.

[MaryEllen Elizabeth Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting book by John Moeller. His perspective as the White House Chef and his elegant recipes are wonderful. How fun to have insights into the dining of World Class Statesmen and Women. John is a classic French chef and most of his menus are French Cuisine creations. Masterpieces. My mouth was watering reading his menus and recipes. I am planning upon re-reading this book regularly. I really felt inspired.

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predominately the author's life history in cooking and his years cooking for the White House. Some recipes, one dessert (odd) many which would be too busy to reproduce. Not particularly healthy, but these foods are for entertaining. An odd entry, with so few recipes, of root vegetables that was mostly poaching them, sautéing with a little butter and salt and pepper. Why on earth list that?

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing and editing are not strong but shares a point of view and perspective that are interesting and unusual.