The Asian chefs who have fed U.S. presidents
Adrian Miller was hoping to find a long-lost treasure in the stacks at the University of Denver's library — but the one he discovered was unexpected.
The self-described 'Soul Food Scholar,' whose books exploring African American food history have won two James Beard Awards, was searching through the library's Cookery and Foodways Collection of more than 11,000 volumes, many of which had originally been collected by Margaret Husted, whose husband had been the business editor of U.S. News & World Report. Among the items were community cookbooks and compilations of historical recipes, dating back centuries. In 2015, while looking for information about Black chefs who may have cooked in the White House, Miller simply typed 'presidential' into the database and was surprised by the book title — and author — that suddenly appeared: 'To a President's Taste: Being the Reminiscences and Recipes of Lee Ping Quan, Ex-President's Steward on the Presidential Yacht, U.S.S. Mayflower.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
7 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Is Your Chatbot Trying to Sell You Something?
Opinion AI is pivoting to ads, just like social media did. Remember how that went? Bloomberg Opinion columnist Parmy Olson explains the dangers. (Source: Bloomberg)
CBS News
11 minutes ago
- CBS News
Cynthia Erivo on Elphaba's evolution in "Wicked" sequel and what to expect as she hosts Tony Awards on Sunday
Cynthia Erivo said her character Elphaba has evolved into a more powerful, self-aware version in the upcoming "Wicked" sequel, describing the green-skinned witch as "a little more knowing" ahead of hosting the 78th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday night. "They are not in school anymore. They are in their power," Erivo said. "I love this part of Elphaba. I call it 'delicious,' and I do feel that strongly. She's just a little more knowing ... The wardrobe is different. The hair is different. Everything is sort of moving toward the maturer version of who she is." Erivo's return to host the Tony Awards marks what she calls "a beautiful full circle moment" for the actress who won a Tony in 2016 for her portrayal of Celie in "The Color Purple." She credited her Broadway work with launching her career and leading to opportunities including her Oscar-nominated performance as Elphaba in the first "Wicked" film. "Because of Broadway and because of the work that we did in 'The Color Purple,' I get to sit with you now where I am and have done all the things that I've done since then," Erivo said. For Sunday's ceremony, Erivo has planned multiple costume changes, but remained secretive about specifics. She said she attended numerous Broadway shows this season in preparation for her hosting duties. Beyond her hosting and film work, Erivo is preparing for an ambitious theatrical project: a one-woman adaptation of "Dracula" in London's West End where she will portray 23 different roles. Despite initial hesitation about the demanding production, she said the concept became impossible to ignore after meeting with the director. Erivo is also releasing an album on Friday titled "I Forgive You" that she co-wrote, featuring vocal arrangements performed entirely by her, including percussion and rap elements. She said the album is "a full realization of who I am as a musician, as a singer, as a vocalist and as a person who loves music in general." The 78th Annual Tony Awards will take place this Sunday, June 8, 2025, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. You can watch the on CBS and stream live on Paramount+ .
Forbes
14 minutes ago
- Forbes
U.S. Nationals: Katie Ledecky Swims Third-Fastest Time Ever In 800 Free
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 03: Katie Ledecky looks on after competing in the Women's 800m ... More Freestyle on day one of the Toyota National Championships at Indiana University Natatorium on June 03, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by) Since the start of her career, Katie Ledecky has dominated the 800 free event, losing the race only once in her career. On the first day of the Toyota National Championships, the 28-year-old yet again dominated the race with a comfortable lead from the start. Ledecky touched the wall first in 8:05.76 seconds, swimming under her own world record pace halfway through the race. With a 13.91-second lead, she clocked the third-fastest time in history, helping her to qualify for the World Championships in July. Interestingly, this wasn't the first notable outing by Ledecky this year. In May, she broke the 800 free world record in 8:04.12 at the Fort Lauderdale Pro Series. She was half a second faster than her own previous record of 8:04.79 set at the 2016 Olympics. Ledecky, who has won four consecutive Olympic golds in the event, currently also owns 11 of the all-time top long-course performances in history. 'The 800m was my last race in Fort Lauderdale, and then having it as the first race here, it kind of felt like I was just going right back into it,' she said. Ledecky was followed by Claire Weinstein and Jillian Cox in 8:19.67 and 8:19.88, respectively. Katie Ledecky's performance has been steadily improving over the years. Since leaving Stanford in 2021 to train with Anthony Nesty at the University of Florida, her 800 free performance has showcased a significant resurgence breaking the 8:10 sub-barrier six times following the transition. Her 800 free world record in May also helped her break her first long-course record in seven years. Prior to that, Ledecky had taken down the record five times between 2013 and 2016. At Fort Lauderdale she also managed to swim the second-fastest 400 free of her career and the second-fastest time in the 1500 free. According to Ledecky, her world-record winning comeback has been possible due to her training following the post-Olympic break. Ledecky, who faced a few 'ups and downs' during the Olympic year, including health issues, 'hurt some of the momentum' she built in 2022 and 2023. However, the nine-time Olympic gold medalist, who has remained 'healthy for most of the year,' was able to 'pick back up her momentum last fall.' Katie Ledecky, who 'felt really relaxed' during her race on Tuesday, is now only a month away from participating in her seventh World Championships. Notably, she will be presented with one more chance to create history this season and become the first swimmer to win the seventh world title in the same event.
