Charlie Redden
Cite this Page
"Charlie Redden," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whha.whirlihost.com/Detail/workers/1362.
- Position
- White House Mess
- Biography
- See Adrian Miller's The President's Kitchen Cabinet; from FB: "Redden grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, and enjoyed cooking with his grandmother and mother. In high school, Redden studied commercial food service. After graduating, he worked as an apprentice at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington.9 When he joined the U.S. Navy, he chose to become a culinary specialist and cooked for the highest-ranking officers wherever he was stationed.10
In 1995, Redden applied for a position in the White House Mess. After a successful interview, Redden was chosen out of hundreds of applicants. As a chef for the White House Mess, Redden supervised the catering department. One of the first dishes that he prepared for President Bill
Clinton was jerk chicken pita pizza.11 During his spare time, Redden continued his culinary education and earned an executive chef certificate from the American Culinary Federation.12
Redden also assisted the first family by approving hotels and restaurants in advance and preparing meals for the family during presidential trips. However, Redden became frustrated with the harassment he faced during these work trips. According to historian Adrian Miller, “Despite [Redden’s] high achievement, he still had to deal with the pressures of race at work…He would often walk into kitchens of high-end hotels unannounced, only to have security called on him. Once he showed his credentials, the kitchen personnel would be astonished that an African American had such responsibilities.”13
Redden continued working at the White House Mess until 2004. His last event was a trip to his hometown of Wilmington with President George W. Bush. During the event, President Bush spoke at the Boys & Girls Club. After leaving the White House, Redden started a private catering business in Marlboro, Maryland called Chef Charlie Catering." (ran June 2021)