White House Historical Association

Pearl Nelson

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"Pearl Nelson," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/1099.
Position
Family cook
Years in President's House
after 1961
Presidency
John F. Kennedy
Biography
See Adrian Miller's The President's Kitchen Cabinet; Private cook for Kennedys while they lived in Georgetown and came with them to WH; When René Verdon was hired as White House Executive Chef, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy unsucessfully attempted to fire Nelson. She asked Chief Usher J.B. West to convince Nelson to leave her job. West offered Nelson a two-week free stay as a WH guest if she agreed to leave her job.