As part of a program to assist with healthy eating habits in Asia and create a cross-cultural exchange, several top chefs – including President Barack Obama's personal chef Sam Kass – will be traveling to different cities throughout South Korea, China, Australia and Japan to show the rest of the world that the United States subsists on more than hamburgers and pizza.
The American Chefs Corps, as the program is being referred to, will travel overseas on July 4, launching a year-long initiative to foster "cross-cultural exchange through the shared experience of food," noted the Malay Mail Online. Increasing tourism to the United Stats is a secondary goal of the initiative.
"The fact that people come from all over the world to see our parks, to see our monuments, is something we should take great pride in as Americans. And it's good for our economy," Obama said in promotion of the tourism campaign at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The goal is to increase tourism to the United States by 100 million visitors by 2021, following a record 70 million visitors in 2013. Asia has been a leading source of tourists for the U.S.
Kass, in addition to being the personal chef to the Obamas, directs the "Let's Move" campaign recently launched by First Lady Michelle Obama and is a proponent of organic farming.
Opportunities for personal cooks are always changing, with openings in private homes, restaurants and in programs such as the aforementioned ones. For those looking to move into the private sector, Colonial Domestic Agency can help with placement in personal chef positions in Los Angeles.