Kale to the Chief

Is Washington DC going to see a restaurant renaissance because of the Obamas? It certainly looks like it. Five Guys got a boost when President Obama stopped by for some of their delicious burgers and fries, and when Michelle admitted that she snuck out to Five Guys as well. I think this made the lines at Five Guys even longer.

And it seems like anywhere the Obamas go get attention. A trip to Blue Hill, a New York restaurant that uses locally-grown food, brought attention to the organic/local food movement. Add that to Michelle Obama's White House vegetable garden, and local food is suddenly getting a lot more attention.

It's like how, when the Kennedys were in the White House, Women's Wear Daily could have been What Jackie Wears Daily. Now the Obamas are covering both fashion and food. I think that's a pretty cool move. Obviously there's a sense of the celebrity about it, but I hope this will give people the opportunity to try different restaurants/foods and even learn about cooking themselves. (White House recipes, anyone?) And I'm sure DC restaurants would love to get the publicity that an Obama visit would bring.

For more on what the Obamas are eating, check out Obama Foodorama, a presidential food blog.