Profile: Sara Moulton for White House Chef

By JULIETTE ROSSANT New York-born Sara Moulton is the host of Food Network's Sara's Secrets and food editor of ABC Good Morning America. She is also Executive Chef of Gourmet. What is her favorite early food memory? "You are going to laugh but 'banana soup,' My mom used to slice up a banana and throw it into a bowl of orange juice for breakfast. I just loved it" Her mentors are Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and cookbook author Jean Anderson. Why does Sara think this job is important? "Because it sets the tone for the country. If this is what the chef is serving in the White House, than this is what good food is all about. I would want to show all the outside dignitaries just how great our cuisine is." What would be Sara's mission as Executive Chef of the White House? "If for some crazy reason I got the job, it would be to represent all the great ingredients we have in this country. I would try to educate the White House about organic and small farmers. I would use local produce and make mostly 'New American' dishes. I would try to keep it healthy." Why should a woman get this job? "Because it would be a huge boost for women chefs around the country. It would bring credibility to all of us. When I worked in restaurants (for 7 years after the CIA), I observed that women for the most part were actually much calmer under pressure. They would just get the job done. If someone returned a dish to be cooked more a woman would just cook it some more and return it to the waiter as quickly as possible. A man would yell at the waiter (thereby upsetting the whole line), basically incinerate the dish, let it set for awhile and then return it to the waiter with more expletives deleted." What are her favorite foods? "I love almost any hearty soup, roast duck, and anything involving cheese." What would Sara serve the President and First Lady on a "quiet evening"? "I would find out what they liked first. I would focus on the ingredients I mentioned and make it simple and healthy because I am sure they are always going out to big fancy meals." What would she like to serve for a State Dinner? "A total American menu, perhaps with each course reflecting a different part of the country -- Johnny cakes from Rhode Island and American caviar as one of the hors d'oeuvres, something with peekytoe crab. We do an hors d'oeuvres here at Gourmet with a very refreshing wasabi dressing and sliced radishes on a cucumber round. Maybe a first course with soft shell crab if they were in season (can you guess I like fish?), rack of lamb with a rosemary scallion crust from Colorado, creamed corn (without the cream, just some of it pureed to make it creamy) flavored with Jersey tomatoes, individual homemade fruit pies or "hot" chocolate pudding with freshly made miniature donuts." What would she recommend as an airplane picnic? "A really good homemade sandwich with grilled vegetables, maybe a little basil mayonnaise and some smoked turkey" What are Sara’s favorite cookbooks (by another author)? "I love all the books of Madhur Jaffrey, Julie Sahni, Marcella Hazan, Jean Anderson, Alfred Portale. There are so many, I can't list them all." What would Sara do, were she not a chef? "Teaching elementary school kids, that was what I was supposed to do, and I got sidetracked. But I have no regrets." Cookbooks: Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals (October 2005) Sara Moulton Cooks at Home Other online bios: ABC Good Morning America Food Network International Speakers Bureau William Morris Agency Previous profiles: Profile: Nora Pouillon for White House Chef Profile: Scooter Kanfer for White House Chef Profile: Cat Cora for White House Chef Profile: Diane Forley for White House Chef Previous articles: James Beard Awards: Dearth of Top Women Chefs? Today Show Emulates Iron Chef America Wireless Flash: White House Woman Chef Fortune Smiles on superchefblog's White House Chef Poll Cat Cora Wins on Iron Chef America Anita Lo Defeats Mario Batali on Iron Chef America Atlantic Monthly: White House Chefs Cat Cora, Anita Lo: Sexing Up Iron Chef America Joe Guzzardi: If Not Governor, White House Chef Reminder 1: Vote for White House Woman Chef Vote For White House Woman Chef Superchefblog: Catalyst for White House Woman Chef? --> back to superchefblog