No, White House pastry chef didn't quit because Michelle Obama is anti-cream
Did the White House pastry chef quit because he鈥檚 tired of Michelle Obama forcing him to cook healthy food? That鈥檚 the impression you鈥檇 get if you looked at some of the headlines announcing kitchen-meister Bill Yosses鈥檚 departure. We won鈥檛 name names, but a number of publications have run some variation of 鈥淲hite House pastry chef resigns: 鈥業 don鈥檛 want to demonize cream, butter, sugar and eggs.鈥� 鈥�
OK, that one came direct , we admit.
The story goes on to note that Mr. Yosses did begin replacing some dairy-based ingredients in his confections and has used new-style ingredients honey and agave in the Obama White House years. But it also says he was never fully invested in this new policy, and it has the 鈥渄emonize鈥� quote from above.
But that鈥檚 only part of the reason the chef is leaving. And the full story kind of belies the narrative of the 鈥渄emonize鈥� frame. It鈥檚 just one example of how in today鈥檚 Twitter-fueled media, themes arise quickly to fit partisan narratives.
Yosses has been White House pastry chef since 2007. President Obama鈥檚 nickname for him is 鈥淐rust Master.鈥� He gave a lengthy phone interview to Marian Burros of The New York Times upon the announcement of his departure. that the first lady is indeed the reason 鈥� but because she鈥檚 piqued his interest in the relationship between food and health.
Yosses said he鈥檚 moving to New York after he departs the White House in June and hopes to put together a foundation or some sort of organization that promotes "delicious food as healthy food,鈥� according to the Times. There are also family reasons for the change: His husband of three years, Charlie Jandusay Fabella Jr., lives in New York.
Yosses said that he thinks food knowledge, as in the culinary arts, should be taught in schools. He added that for formal occasions, 20 percent of desserts are still old-style cream-heavy and that he does not want to 鈥渄emonize鈥� the ingredients that go into those, given their tastiness. But he has worked with Mrs. Obama to add fruit pur茅e and other healthier ingredients that are still appetizing.
鈥淪he has done it with humor and goodwill, without preaching,鈥� Yosses told the Times.
Does that sound like somebody leaving in a huff because doughnuts are forbidden? TheBlaze, Glenn Beck鈥檚 media venture, does not think so. Blaze writer Oliver Darcy did a quick rumor check and decided that Yosses's admitted fondness for cream was not why he鈥檚 leaving.
The first lady is to blame only in that she鈥檚 inspired him, as he said, according to the Blaze.
鈥淚f evidence exists that Yosses left for other reasons, none has been presented thus far,鈥� .
