One of NY's best young chefs cooks at the White House: ‘Is This What Heroin Feels Like?’

[NYCGirl]

Nice article about Michael Psilakis, from Anthos, Kefi, and Mia Dona. Not only is there a new produce garden at the White House, they're bringing in beehives!

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2009/03/psilakis_on_serving_obama_tktk.html

More on this rush: Sometimes I wonder, is this what heroin feels like? And is that why it's so hard to recover from the addiction? If you could bottle it and get that every time you wanted a fix, I'm not sure if we all wouldn't be dope fiends. It's such an intense feeling. You just don't get it every day. It's not like alcohol — or any of the drugs I've tried. It's an existential experience. Everything is so crystal clear, it's unbelievable. This was just one of those really, truly amazing experiences.

It's just so different when you look at an audience of people that are really important beyond our vacuum of the world. And that's what you get when you go there. It's like, holy shit. This is bigger than Anthos, Kefi, Mia Dona. I have to say that the feeling in the White House — they are excited for Obama to be there. There's a great vibe ...

Here I am cooking for the president on Greek Independence Day and we're the first chefs ever to do it like this. It was overwhelming. I really started to feel pressure. I'm saying, Dude, we can't fuck this one up. Initially you feel pressure, then you're just cooking ... it felt like the best food we've ever cooked.

On meeting Obama: When you meet him, he's a very charismatic presence. He's much larger than I expected him to be, physically. He has that presence that I think all good leaders have. It's amazing how much respect he's already garnered at the White House. They speak of him in awe.

And, finally, on the Garden: The Obamas' chef is in charge of the garden — he's so excited about it. What's amazing is it's going beyond the garden. They're even doing their own honey. While I was there they were bringing over the beehives. They're starting hives — it's unbelievable.


MORE AT LINK

[firedupdem]

1. He sounds like he is loving his job! That's a great feeling! n/t

[Lars39]

2. First Bees!

:D

[babylonsister]

3. Terrific article, thanks for a positive story! nt

[Cha]

4. "Alexander The Great" :)

I can feel Michael Pslakis' excitement but I hear it's more like Morphine.

Sam Kass is their chef the Obamas brought in from Chicago and was in the Breaking Organic Ground Pics on the Spring Equinox with Michelle and the kids on the White House South Lawn.

[chill_wind]

5. Ahhh........ my son had that pleasure, but only once- a few days before the election.

He got to cater a luncheon for Pres Obama and about 80 members of his entourage (staff and media) when they came to our city for a late fall rally. ( And made him a pecan pie. :-) That's been the extreme highlight of his young career so far, it goes without saying.

"I'm saying, Dude, we can't fuck this one up." You know it. That's exactly what my son's crew said to themselves and each other.

[Jennicut]

6. This speaks to Obama's likability as a person in the WH.

I like that our President is looked up to and respected by the WH and they are not just phoning it in for protocol reasons.

[roguevalley]

7. beehives are utterly awesome. my grandparents had a hive and

when I stayed with them I would go to the beehive and sit down beside it, not more than five inches away and watch them. They never stung me. I was never afraid. They are so wonderful, having them make you in tune with the entire universe. I love that they have this and when they milk the hive and have a tub full of warm dark honey, it is so good. I still remember chewing on beeswax straight from the hive that my Grandpa gave me with sweet honey in it. Love bees. Love these people. Their roses will be awesome this year.

[Clio the Leo]

8. Yeah but it's not REALLY honey....

... they're scraping the sweat off of him from his morning work outs and serving it up on biscuits! It's delicious!!

(And with that I just went over the edge into the abyss of TMI cheerleaderdome)

[Runcible Spoon]

9. That's really sick.

:puke:

[Clio the Leo]

11. I know, I'm out of control...

.... I need an intervention.

[HopeOverFear]

17. ...but FUNNY!

:lol:

[xenussister]

10. "They speak of him in awe" I love that!

On meeting Obama: "When you meet him, he's a very charismatic presence. He's much larger than I expected him to be, physically. He has that presence that I think all good leaders have. It's amazing how much respect he's already garnered at the White House. They speak of him in awe."

*melt*

Thanks for the link!

[Cha]

12. "Why the White House garden matters"

"The Obamas' new vegetable patch is a symbol of what is wrong with our lawns and how we can fix them. It doesn't take much..

<snips>

There will be tomatillos and cilantro, but no beets. The Obamas love Mexican food, and Barack does not like beets. This is a garden planted for the personal tastes of the family that will be eating from it. It is not just a pretty garden, or an empty symbol, but a place for a family to grow the food that they like to eat, on the land that is around them.

They have selected 55 varieties of vegetables and herbs according to their tastes, and every American family can inspect that list and imagine what they would plant instead. Where are the tomatoes? Why so much spinach? Can I grow blueberries where I live? The lawns surrounding our homes are all the same, in denial of our diverse climates and cultures. Neighbourhood streets lined with edible gardens like the Obamas' would all be different, celebrating our diverse tastes.

It will be visible from E Street. Will tourists linger at the South Lawn fence hoping to catch a glimpse of Sasha and Malia weeding? We will all be able to watch it grow through the seasons and evolve over the years. This is a vegetable and herb garden in front of the house, and meant to be seen."

<snip>

"A beekeeper will tend two hives for honey, and ladybugs and praying mantises will help control harmful bugs. Fully sanctioned and welcome critters at the White House! I think this is perhaps more exciting than the garden itself.

<read more>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/mar/25/white-house-vegetable-garden-lawns

[PuraVidaDreamin]

13. Beehives at the White House

http://open.salon.com/blog/joan_k/2009/03/22/bee_hives_at_the_white_house

[indimuse]

14. Great article!

knr. yummy! :)

[denem]

15. I suggest John Boehner checks the beehives very very closely

to make sure no honey is going to waste. There's drones in there somewhere and he should insist on first hand information. Perhaps one of the hives could be transported to the Republican caucus.

[Phx_Dem]

16. Yes, and he should remember that only wimps wear beekeeper garb.

:evilgrin: