Comerford with her husband John (Photo by PINGGOT ZULUETA)

Cristeta Pasia Comerford’s lips may be sealed by protocol but that didn’t stop her from sharing—even just a tiny bit—her colorful life as executive chef to one of the most prominent houses to date: The White House.

She is the first woman and the first Asian to hold the position of executive chef for the First Family of the US. After working as assistant chef under Walter Scheib—executive chef during the Clinton Administration—in 1995, she was appointed by then First Lady Laura Bush as executive chef in August 2005. She retained her position when U.S. President Barack Obama assumed the presidency early this year.

From her humble beginnings as chef in various hotels and restaurants in Chicago to her appointment, Comerford never let go of the values and traditions instilled in her by her Filipino parents.

“I’ve been in the states for more than 25 years but in my heart, I will always be a Filipino,” said Comerford in her acceptance speech during the BPInoy Awards at Makati Shangri-La Hotel. This was her very first homecoming after she assumed her position.

And while she has not been able to shuffle back and forth to the Philippines since she decided to immigrate, Comerford said she is and will always remain a Filipino no matter what. In fact, besides her being able to still fluently converse in Filipino, she stressed that it’s probably her innate ‘Pinoy-ness’ of being family-oriented that was instilled in her by her parents that adds savory and rich flavors to her cooking. And that it’s also her unparalleled Filipino spirit that enabled her to achieve what others have not.

For her, being a Filipino extends to being a leader and implementing good work ethics, whether in the confines of the kitchen or not.

“For me, it’s not just about the work itself. What makes work important is really the people around you. You have to treat them well because in the end, you’ll be with them. You could be a bank president of anything but if you don’t have good people, you don’t know how to share your leadership to the next generation, whatever you built, whatever you started—it’s just gonna fall.”

She has served the Clintons, the Bushes, and now the Obamas, but one will never hear from her any details about the temperaments of each family.

But she is not one to deny the public’s right to information and enlightenment. When pressed for information on what Filipino dishes she serves the First Family, she wouldn’t budge but reiterated that Filipino cuisine is something that will always hold a special place in her life.

“Sometimes, you just instill it in the things that you make. It doesn’t have to be obvious. Like a dish of adobo, it could be a filling in a pastry bun or whatever. It’s always there. It’s always a part of me because it’s something I’ve learned from my mom. She’s always really instilled in me how to connect food, how to put things together. So even if the recipe is like French classical cuisine, there’s something in there that makes it Filipino,” enthused Comerford.

After a series of questions, she mentioned the similarity that both the Obamas and Bushes share. “They both like healthy food. When you have people looking at you, it’s a good example to set—that this is what they eat,” she said.

Comerford disclosed that the Obamas are just a down-to-earth family just like any other when it comes to the meals they eat. Opting to have organic produce from the White House garden, the Obamas, she said, see the need for having ‘healthy meals in healthy proportions’ as their way of setting an example to their constituents and to the world over.

The mild-mannered Comerford also said the First Lady is very hands-on when it comes to preparing food for her family. And this bit is no more than a plus factor for Comerford for she is also a family woman like her boss Michelle Obama.

The Sampaloc-born Comerford noted, despite her ever-so busy schedule—what with her career being a seemingly 24/7 job—that she still gets to spend time with her husband John and daughter Danielle because she chooses to. She added that maintaining a balance between her highly stressful and high-profile career and her being a wife and a mother is important because at the end of the day, it’s still her family that she comes home to.

Her many responsibilities include designing and executing menus for state dinners, social events and official luncheons hosted by the President and First Lady as well as daily family meals. So far the First Lady Obama is satisfied. She was even quoted in an interview saying she is happy and pleased with the culinary services Comerford brings into the table.

Obama said, “Cristeta Comerford brings such an incredible talent to the White House operation and came very highly regarded from the Bush family.” She further added, “Also the mom of a young daughter, I appreciate our shared perspective on the importance of healthy eating and healthy families.”

Even with such high praise from a person of such stature, Cristeta remains humble and self-effacing.