Someone's in the Kitchen

An invitation to dinner at the French embassy in London is the dream of any true gourmet. Ambassador Jean Chauvel's chef is one of the world's great cooks. A tiny (5 ft.) Tonkinese, Bui Van Han, 50, has presided over the Chauvel kitchen for 22 years, is a graduate of Paris' famed Cordon Bleu school, a master of haute cuisine. In the posts where he has cooked for the Chauvels--Paris, Bern, New York --the mere memory of his Pauppiette de Sole `a la Richelieu or Cotelettes de Pigeone `a l'Espagnole is enough to make taste buds quiver and eyes grow moist. Bui's fabulous sauces, prepared from top-secret recipes, are his specialite.

"Who Is This Guy?" It was no surprise that Bui's reputation was known to Jacqueline Kennedy, who loves French cooking. But the story that the First Lady had been guilty of the unpardonable impropriety of trying to lure him away from the ambassador was as shocking as serving a sweet white wine with pink filet mignon. From London the cables buzzed with a story that Letitia Baldrige, Jackie's social secretary, had telephoned Bui one midnight last week and, in liquid French, offered him a substantial raise in pay to come to Washington and cook for the President. After 24 hours of thinking it over, said Bui, he had declined the offer.

The story hit Washington like a deflated souffle. "I never heard of this guy," complained President Kennedy. "Who is this guy?" He soon learned. Press Secretary Pierre Salinger said that last December, London friends of the Kennedys had heard that Bui planned to come to the U.S. and had put out feelers on Jackie's behalf. But when the chef said he had no travel plans, explained Salinger, the negotiations ended. "Tish" Baldrige denied that she had phoned London, said she had only sent Bui a letter "to let him know what was cooking," confirming the fact that his services were no longer sought. Then, to reassure the present White House kitchen crew, Associate Press Secretary Andrew Hatcher formally announced: "It is the feeling that the present staff is entirely adequate for the current limited social calendar at the White House."

"These Things Happen." When reporters asked the name of the White House chef, to get his comments. Salinger refused to give it out, inadvertently made further headlines by adding that the 70 domestic servants in the mansion had signed "waivers" promising not to write about their experiences with the Kennedys. It was not a condition of employment, he added nervously--merely a voluntary step to ensure privacy for the presidential family.

Word of Salinger's booboo reached the President, who summoned his unlucky Pierre to his office for a 45-minute tongue-lashing. When reporters eventually reached White House Chef Pedro Udo, he was true to his vow of silence. In London, Diane Chauvel was philosophical: "These things happen, you know. It's nice to know Mrs. Kennedy thinks so highly of our cook."

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