Celebrity Cook-Off With Chancellor Michelle Rhee And Councilman Jack Evans

By Kavitha Cardoza

Some leaders in the District are digesting the results of the latest beef in city government: a celebrity cook-off that pitted Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee against Ward 2 councilmember Jack Evans. Their teams had to serve up a three course meal and signature drink in 35 minutes.

Rhee cooks a mean lasagna while Evans serves up perfect pancakes. But in this high pressure kitchen cook-off, it wasn't clear if those skills were enough. Until you realized that the reason both weren't worried about having to cook with secret ingredients because they'd brought along their secret weapons- their children-as acting sous chefs.

Rhee's daughter Starr says she'd prepared her mom, "I made her watch the food network with me. I didn't really coach her as much as I should have!"

Evans daughter Christine had prepped her dad, "Always cook your meat very well. And if you want to season your vegetables put a little pepper and salt and a little lemon. Tastes pretty good!"

Both sides chopped, mixed and fried their way for the meal, but in the end Team A won. That was the team Rhee was on, which cooked a shrimp and tofu salad, a steak and asparagus pasta and a mango lassi with melted gummy bears.

How did the experience compare to running D.C. Public Schools?

"There was a lot of pressure like there is in the school district but with running the school district I sort of know what I'm doing more."