Do you understand what happened? Here they are, the most familiar faces on television, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse, and Cristeta Comerford from Philippines. She also became a new cooking star thanks to her job as the Chef of the White House. She creates there healthy and natural meals under a guidance of the First Lady Michelle Obama.

All started at the beginning of New Year with the produce that Iron Chef of America used on the Food Network’s two-hour special White House show. It was announced that all fresh fruits and vegetables were delivered from the White House Garden. As “Politics Daily” reported, the show did not disclose (probably being too modest) that “stunt double vegetables” were used, but not the produce from the First Family’s garden.

If you think logically, you’ll have a question, “How can you find fresh vegetables grown in a beautiful garden in winter time, in Washington D.C.?” Don’t worry. The White House segment was taped in October. The much promoted TV show made a valuable accent by featuring First Lady Michelle Obama who invited the chefs to harvest what their soul desired and creativity dictated from the famous White House garden.

Mrs. Obama kindly agreed to appear and give the show a warm ‘Welcome!’ Why not, if it advertises her healthy eating movement and her 1st year signature garden, she created with lots of help around. At this point, Mrs. Obama and Iron Chef together promote the popular topics such as food from local farmers, anti-obesity and exercise, which is good for our well-being.

There is another important detail: the cook-off actually took place at the beginning of November, the following week after the White House segment was taped. This is what Iron Chef calls its “Kitchen Stadium” in New York City. Do you know, something doesn’t glue together?! Again, in simple logic, fruits and vegetables that were picked up on October at the White House never could be used for a presentation on the show later because the produce would not be fresh, isn’t it?

The answer to this curiosity comes from an article by Marian Burros of New York Times and from Obamafoodorama.com web site informing us on anything having to do with food and food policy coming out of the Obama White House. There was revealed a fact of the use of “stunt double” vegetables. How funny!

The vegetables in “Kitchen Stadium” were not the ones that TV spectators had seen the chefs harvested. There were so many participant in the show that looked a little bit confused when they informed us about “using radishes and other vegetables from the White House garden.” As a matter of truth, only one food product was used on the show from the White House–honey.

By other words, millions of viewers were misled. Show executives came up with some excuses about difficulties in scheduling and other technicalities. But what it has to do with us, the viewers, that the Food Network had these internal problems in the production delay between the shoot at the White House and the shoot at Food Network. Is this a reason do not disclose to 4.6 million viewers of “the highest rated and most watched show in Food Network’s history,” as Obamafoodorama reported, that the produce used in “Kitchen Stadium” during the “Super Chef Battle” was not actually from the the White House Garden.

What really happened with delicious vegetables from the White House garden? As Mrs. Obama’s East Wing informed, these vegetables were donated in October to a local food kitchen. Such a disappointment for the show and its viewers, but the good point is that nothing went to waste…

White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford participated in the show together with well known chefs Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse. They were greeted by Mrs. Obama and invited to pick up what they needed from the White House garden (fresh and local products) to use in cooking five “ultimate American” dishes. Comerford chose to team up with Bobby Flay. Obviously because he looks thinner than two other famous and overweight chefs.

She wrote about this experience at the whitehouse.gov.blog that “Because this competition was about fresh fruits and vegetables, but also about the American experience. Chef Flay and I decided to cook to our strenghts and to our heritages.” As a summary, chef Flay cooked with his southwestern flair, and Comerford prepared the meals according to recipes from her native Philippines. “…we blended it all with unique takes on classic American recipes,” indicated Cristeta Comerford.

Is this is a discovery of new ways to help fighting obesity problems? Obviously, organic local food, anti-obesity and proper exercise still remains an unresolved problem no matter how fancy show can be brought to viewers to watch.

References: http://www.youtube.com; http://politicsdaily.com/2010/01/12/iron-chef-special-used-ringers-from-the-white-house-garden