Yet another bond was forged between the University and the new Presidential administration when Michelle Obama announced Sam Kass, College ('04) and Lab School ('98) graduate, would be an assistant chef at the White House. He had been a personal chef for the Obamas.
Kass, who has a reputation as a crusader for using locally grown ingredients, has a blue-plate pedigree, including training in Europe working and in one of Chicago's top restaurants, Avec.
He founded Inevitable Table, a home-cooking service that featured local produce and healthy eating and took his interest to Hull House, where he devised tasty dishes for its "Rethinking Soup," a lecture-and-free-soup series that deals with sociopolitical food issues.
His teachers at Lab remember him for his enthusiasm and dedication. "When Sam was here, he was driven by his dream of being a professional baseball player. He worked very hard to try to achieve that goal," said Larry McFarlane, Dean of Students at University High School.
"It doesn't surprise me that he has found another passion, that has lead him in a different direction," said McFarlane. "I'd like to think the outdoor cooking class at 6th grade camp (Hunters Stew and cake baked in an apple) planted the seed that led him to his new career."
—Prof. Chuan He
