Watch Harry Truman brag about how awesome the food was at the White House

Yes, being President has a few perks. Though Presidents pay for their own food, staff and an executive chef come with the job, and they amazed Harry Truman.

For the 1964 documentary Decision: The Conflicts of Harry S Truman, Truman recalled a few of the lighter moments at the White House. Among them were the dinners he ate alone. With the help of three butlers (Barnard, John, and Fields), Truman ate in style under candlelight. Our favorite facts about Truman’s White House meals?

  • He got tucked into his seat.
  • He rang to get his plate taken and had his crumbs brushed away.
  • He used a finger bowl to clean off his hands.

Though Truman liked the high living (“What a life that was,” he said), he remained true to his Missouri roots. When he told a joke about a country boy refusing to eat lobster, he said that he’d do the same.

Start a Conversation

What would you have the chef make for you?