Presidential Food Service

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|unit_name=Presidential Food Service

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| dates = 1951–present

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|role= Providing worldwide food service, security, and personal support to the president and first family of the United States

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|nickname=White House Mess; Navy Mess

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The Presidential Food Service (formerly and sometimes also known as the White House Mess or the Navy Mess), is a branch of the United States Navy established in 1951 that provides worldwide food service, security, and personal support to the president and first family of the United States. It also provides gourmet meals and supports catered functions and social aide dinners for visiting heads of state.

Operations

The Presidential Food Service was established in 1951, and is run by the United States Navy.{{cite book|author=G. Kurt Piehler|title=Encyclopedia of Military Science|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CX1ZDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1670|date=24 July 2013|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=978-1-5063-1081-7|page=1670 |quote=The White House Mess, established in 1951, is now known as the Presidential Food Service and is run by the navy.}}[https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/NAVADMIN/NAV2022/NAV22157.txt?ver=yARGBWCbwCzBdD8QNhnXLg%3D%3D "CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR ASSIGNMENT TO PRESIDENTIAL FOOD SERVICE"]{{Cite web|url=https://www.psdispatch.com/features/local-features/32230/back-in-the-spotlight-avoca-native-and-former-navy-white-house-food-director-still-in-culinary-business|title=Back in the Spotlight: Avoca native and former Navy, White House food director still in culinary business|date=August 13, 2015|website=The Sunday Dispatch}}

It provides worldwide food service, security, and personal support to the president and first family of the United States.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1996/12/23/company-stores-offer-inside-lines/2545067e-66d4-4184-b092-c31335d20d8b/ "'COMPANY' STORES OFFER INSIDE LINES,"] The Washington Post.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2005/jul/27/navy-cook-wants-just-desserts-for-bush/|title=Navy cook wants just desserts for Bush |website=The Spokesman-Review|date=27 July 2005 }}{{Cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/whmo/pfs.html|title=White House Military Office - Presidential Food Service|website=georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov}}{{Cite web|url=https://scnewsltr.dodlive.mil/Latest-Issue/Article-Display/Article/2612297/presidential-food-service/http%3A%2F%2Fscnewsltr.dodlive.mil%2FLatest-Issue%2FArticle-Display%2FArticle%2F2612297%2Fpresidential-food-service%2F|title=Presidential Food Service|website=Navy Supply Corps Newsletter}} It also provides gourmet meals and supports catered functions and social aide dinners for visiting heads of state.

It operates the White House Mess executive dining rooms, provides a carryout service, and provides catering coordination to the White House Complex. It also provides logistics co-ordination for White House Mess personnel and valet services for presidential trips and events. Before starting as members of the Presidential Food Service, personnel are subject to a thorough lengthy personal background check.{{Cite web|url=https://mainecampus.com/2019/10/umaines-newly-hired-food-science-innovation-coordinator-speaks-to-maine-campus/|title=UMaine's newly hired food science innovation coordinator speaks to Maine Campus|work= The Maine Campus|first=Charles|last=Cramer}}

The White House Mess

File:Vice President Cheney Sits and David Addington at Economic Principals Lunch Held in the White House Mess (18650017481).jpg and David Addington at lunch in the White House Mess]]

File:George W. Bush White House state china.jpg

The White House Mess is now a small wood-paneled dining facility. It is located in the basement of the West Wing, adjacent to the Situation Room.{{Cite web|url=https://whitehouse.gov1.info/white-house-mess/index.html|title=White House Mess - Breakfast and Lunch at the White House|website=whitehouse.gov1.info}}

It seats 50 people at 12 tables.

History

In 2015, the Presidential Food Service decided to serve only "meat and poultry that have not been treated with hormones or antibiotics."{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrdc.org/bio/avinash-kar/white-house-sends-signal-change-antibiotic-use-meat-and-poultry-production-meat-and|title=White House sends signal for change on antibiotic use in meat and poultry production; meat and pharmaceutical industries throw a tantrum|date=June 18, 2015|website= Natural Resources Defense Council}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.manufacturing.net/operations/news/13099139/meat-industry-environmentalists-critique-white-house-antibiotic-efforts|title=Meat Industry, Environmentalists Critique White House Antibiotic Efforts|date=June 3, 2015|website=Manufacturing.net}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/03/health/white-house-meeting-pledges-reduce-antibiotic-use.html|title=White House Meeting Elicits Pledges to Reduce Antibiotic Use|first=Sabrina|last=Tavernise|date=June 2, 2015|work=The New York Times}}

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain [https://whitehouse.gov/ White House web site]. The entry can be found at [https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/whmo/pfs.html Presidential Food Service].

Category:Military food of the United States

Category:Rooms in the White House

Category:United States Navy organization

Category:White House Military Office

Category:Food and drink in the United States