First ladies in the kitchen

As President Obama discussed global security on Sunday at the Chicago NATO Summit, First Lady Michelle Obama gave six spouses/partners of world leaders a personal peek into her hometown.

 

She treated the group to a private luncheon and arts performances at the Gary Comer Youth Center, located in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood less than a mile from the South Shore community where the First Lady was born and spent her childhood. Mrs. Obama's Let's Move! campaign got the international spotlight: accompanied by some of her distinguished guests, she visited the Center's lush rooftop vegetable garden, and spent time with youth from the culinary arts program, who helped renowned Chicago chef/restaurateur Paul Kahan prepare the three-course luncheon menu. It starred local Walleye Pike, and used vegetables from the garden. (Above: Mrs. Obama in the garden, with students and the First Lady of Turkey, Mrs. Hayrunnisa Gul) 

Mrs. Obama, gave a shout-out to the young gardeners, pointing out that the rooftop paradise, which has produced more than 3,000 pounds of vegetables that are sold in the neighborhood and to downtown restaurants, "is more than 5 times bigger than the garden at the White House." Her signature Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn is 1,500 square feet.

The 80,000-square-foot Center was created by the late Gary Comer, founder of the Lands' End clothing company, who grew up on Chicago's South Side. The First Lady formally welcomed her guests at 11:30 AM, greeting them in a brief receiving line. Guests included Mrs. Anne-Mette Rasmussen, wife of NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (labove); Mrs. Sanja Mu Sic Milanovic, wife of Croatia's Prime Minister; Mrs. Ingrid Schulerud, wife of Norway's Prime Minister; Mrs. Liri Berisha, wife of Albania's Prime Minister; Mrs. Hayrunnisa Gul, First Lady of Turkey; and Mrs. Valerié Trierweiler, the domestic partner of newly elected French President Francois Hollande.

Mrs. Obama held her 1:30 PM luncheon in the Center's cafeteria. Chef Kahan, honored with multiple James Beard Award nominations, is the Executive Chef/partner in the very popular Chicago restaurants Avec, Big Star, Blackbird, The Violet Hour, and The Publican. His menu included a Salad with Kale, fresh Chickpeas and La Quercia Farm Prosciutto, followed by locally sourced Walleye Pike, a freshwater fish, accompanied by braised Oxtail. Dessert was Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Cake. 

Source: Obamafoodorama