He’s the ultimate political tastemaker!
The longtime head chef of the Executive Mansion in Albany is dishing about what the powerful politicians eat in private — ranging from a quirky breakfast soup to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Tom Santimaw — who served as the venerable institution’s executive chef from New York Govs. Eliot Spitzer to Kathy Hochul’s administration — said he often had to remind the lawmakers to eat right in high-stress moments.
“I used to make [Hochul] peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the helicopter,” Santimaw told The Post.
“If there was a natural disaster, who is thinking about a gourmet dinner? Sometimes you have to prod them to eat to get their nutrition,” he said.
Looking back, former Gov. David Paterson takes the cake for strangest meal preference, he said.
“Soup of the day. That’s what he had for breakfast,” Santimaw said — adding that Paterson’s favorite was a Caribbean-style black bean soup.
Santimaw recently left the prestigious job to work at Albany’s iconic War Room Tavern, which sits across from the state capitol, steps from the governor’s mansion.
The time-worn tavern — once dubbed the “Planet Hollywood of State Politics”— is a hot spot for lobbyists, senators, assembly members and other political movers and shakers.
The restaurant recently got approval to put lasagna made with the recipe of Matilda Cuomo — mom of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and wife of late Gov. Mario Cuomo — on the menu, said owner Todd Shapiro.
But don’t expect Cuomo to order his mother’s comfort food.
“He was a very healthy eater. Not a lot of red meat. Egg whites in the morning, salads. Very light fare for dinner. Sometimes just a crudité,” Santimaw said in an interview Wednesday.
Santimaw will now use his inside knowledge of gubernatorial tastes to inspire a new revamped menu at the eatery, Shapiro said.
“We’re an apolitical menu. There are Republicans and Democrats on the menu,” he said.
The goal is to “make these people feel like home when they’re coming in,” Shapiro added.
The tavern already serves Roosevelt Fried Chicken Poutine, Kennedy Family Lobster Rolls, FDR Grilled Cheese and Eric Adams Vegan Tacos — which the mayor has ordered, the restaurant owner said.
“Everything comes from what they love, we’re authentic,” Shapiro said.
Hochul gave the restaurant a recipe for chicken wings while State Attorney General Letitia James requested sushi, he said.
“You couldn’t get anymore buffalo than Kathy Hochul coming from the Buffalo Bills mafia,” Shapiro quipped.
But the petite governor usually only eats a few of the wings.
“She would offer some suggestions, but she was very into small portions,” Santimaw said of the Hochul’s eating habits.
James also prefers to eat light — so he added sushi to the menu, Shapiro said.
“She said ‘Albany could always use a good sushi place.’ So I found a five-star master sushi chef who was trained in Japan. It was the best advice,” Shapiro said.
Now that Santimaw has joined the culinary team, Albany diners can expect new meals such as a Porterhouse Pitaki Steak and Senator Gillibrand’s Petite Filet, which the politician is known to order when she dines there, Shapiro said.
Read the full article here
