Free Republic

Washington - It used to be that people who sought to share in the fare of the White House had to become large political donors and court the favour of the president. But no longer. A former White House chef is now whipping up meals for paying customers like the ones he served the Bushes and Clintons, using exclusive White House recipes. The price is much less than normal donors shell out, and politics needn't be part of the transaction, although anecdotes from the centre of power are served with every course. Walter Scheib, 52, who cooked at the White...

Behind the scenes, first lady Laura Bush is making big changes for the next four years. In the past two months, Mrs. Bush has hired a new social secretary and chief of staff -- and fired chef Walter Scheib III, who had been at the White House for 11 years. "We don't usually think of Laura Bush as firing anybody," said Ann Gerhart, a political reporter for The Washington Post's style section. "She is just as loyal as everybody else in the Bush family. So I think it's very unusual."