you know, some of 'em Pilipinas can burn...

(photo & bio courtesy of nytimes)

''Cristeta Comerford''' (née Pasia) (born October 1962) is the executive chef at the White House. She is the first woman to be selected for the post, and also the first of Filipina descent. Her selection was predicted by Juliette Rossant in '''Superchefblog''', which also first publicized her photo on February 28, 2005, and also nominated her for the position during a nationwide readers' poll on March 25, 2005.

Comerford was born in Manila as the second youngest child of Honesto and Erlinda Pasia, an elementary school principal and dressmaker, respectively. She grew up in the district of Sampaloc, Manila, close to the University of Santo Tomas. She attended the University of the Philippines, Diliman in Quezon City and majored in food technology. However, she did not earn her degree because she had left school to immigrate to the United States. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 23. Her first job was at the Sheraton Hotel near O'Hare International Airport. She also worked at the Hyatt Regency hotel.

After Chicago, she moved to Washington, D.C. and worked as a chef at two restaurants. She additionally spent six months in Vienna, Austria as a rotating chef. Comerford was recruited by executive chef Walter Scheib III in 1995 to work in the Clinton White House.

Scheib resigned as executive chef in February 2005. Comerford was appointed by First Lady Laura Bush on August 14, 2005. She is the first female executive chef and the first Filipina to hold this position. She reportedly was appointed to this position due to her handling of a large dinner that was held in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

She currently lives in Columbia, Maryland, with her husband, John, and her four-year-old daughter, Danielle. Comerford's family, including her mother, resides in Morton Grove, Illinois.