A Brief History of the White House Kitchen

Picky Picky
Nancy Reagan was reportedly very particular about how food was prepared for White House guests. She required chefs to test meals on herself and President Reagan before they were served at formal events. Longtime executive chef Henry Haller described the First Lady's preferences to the New York Times in 1987: "The platters we make are fancier. We spend more time on them. We take pictures with a Polaroid so the staff knows how they are to be done. With the Reagans you have to be more creative." In this 1981 photo, Hall and his staff are preparing a state dinner honoring the Prime Minister of Australia.

• Presidential First Dogs