A fresh W. House veg scam

A fresh W. House veg scam

By RITA DELFINER

Last Updated: 5:41 PM, January 16, 2010

Posted: 2:46 AM, January 16, 2010
And the secret ingredient in the White House Iron Chef of America special --

stand-in vegetables.

In a garden-variety produce-gate, the fresh

veggies publicized as coming from the White House garden for the episode actually

were stunt doubles, including ringer radishes. The Jan. 3 special

pitted White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and Bobby Flay against the

team of Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse. The four chefs harvested the

veggies from Michelle Obama's White House garden in a segment taped in late

October. The substitution of other fresh produce became necessary because the

actual "Kitchen Stadium" contest in New York took place about a week later. But

the Food Network did not reveal the substitutions on air, politicsdaily.com

said.

Politicsdaily.com columnist Lynn Sweet wrote that First Lady

Michelle Obama's staff e-mailed her that the veggies the four chefs picked at the

White House garden in October were donated to a local food kitchen.on air,