Kate’s 2¢: “Dinner with the president: food, politics, and a history of breaking bread at the White House” by Alex Prud’homme

“Dinner with the president: food, politics, and a history of breaking bread at the White House” by Alex Prud’homme

NOTE: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as, describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ shares her thoughts about what she’s read. In her opinion…

   Pat Grimes did a good job of narrating this lengthy book. I found I was snacking a bit more often as I listened to the fascinating State Dinners, Presidential family dining habits, and the variety of international dishes served throughout the ages.

   Although I don’t agree with the author’s political bias (Perhaps his bias was fueled by not being able to get invited to a real White House dinner.), I enjoyed learning about the various chefs who served in the White House.

A few take-aways:

–It is hard to remain enemies when you’ve broken bread together.

–Reasonable men consulting together, coolly, could not fail …to form a compromise.

–The Corona Virus showed there is strength in working together and weakness in dis union.

–The State Dinner honors the visiting head of state, is an assertion of power, and an extension of influence for both host and guest, and a celebration of successful negotiations.

–Rules of social engagement are practical tools that help people of diverse backgrounds get along.

–Dinner is a cheerful celebration of food, family, community, and thankfulness that helps bind us together.

–Dining is a powerful primal tool for consensus building, persuasion and message signaling  

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alex Prud’homme (born 1961) is an American journalist and the author of several non-fiction books.

Early life and education[edit]

Prud’homme is a native of New York City, a 1984 graduate of Middlebury College, and attended the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference.[1]

Writings[edit]

Prud’homme’s journalism has appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Talk, Time, and People.[2]

Prud’homme collaborated with his great-aunt Julia Child on the book My Life in France (Alfred A. Knopf, 2006), her memoir of discovering food and life in postwar Paris and Marseille.[3] The book became a number one New York Times best-seller, and inspired half of the 2009 movie Julie & Julia, starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child. In 2007, the book won the Literary Food Writing award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP).[4]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Dinner with the president: food, politics, and a history of breaking bread at the White House DB117592

Author: Prud’homme, Alex

Reading Time: 16 hours, 17 minutes

Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress

Read by: Pat Grimes

Subjects: Biography of Heads of State and Political Figures, Cooking, U.S. History

Downloaded: 04/09/2026

“Some of the most significant moments in American history have occurred over meals, as U.S. presidents broke bread with friends or foe: Thomas Jefferson’s nationbuilding receptions in the new capital, Washington, D.C.; Ulysses S. Grant’s state dinner for the king of Hawaii; Teddy Roosevelt’s groundbreaking supper with Booker T. Washington; Jimmy Carter’s cakes and pies that fueled a détente between Israel and Egypt at Camp David. Here Alex Prud’homme invites listeners into the White House kitchen to reveal the sometimes curious tastes of 26 of America’s most influential presidents, how their meals were prepared and by whom, and the ways their choices affected food policy around the world. What our leaders say about food touches on everything from our nation’s shifting diet and local politics to global trade, science, religion, war, class, gender, race, and so much more. Prud’homme also details overlooked figures, like George Washington’s enslaved chef, Hercules Posey, whose meals burnished the president’s reputation before the cook narrowly escaped to freedom, and pioneering First Ladies, such as Dolley Madison and Jackie Kennedy, who used food and entertaining to build political and social relationships. As he weaves these stories together, Prud’homme shows that food is not just fuel when it is served to the most powerful people in the world. It is a tool of communication, a lever of power and persuasion, a form of entertainment, and a symbol of the nation.” — Provided by publisher. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

New York : Dreamscape Media, 2023.

Take Action On Dinner with the president: food, politics, and a history of breaking bread at the White House