Former White House Chef Walter Scheib (1954-2015) Missing, Then Sadly Found, in the Mountains of Taos, New Mexico

[Pat]

I really enjoyed Walter Scheib's book-White House Chef (11 years, 2 presidents, 1 kitchen) for the behind-the-scenes look at dining at the White House-logistics, politics, drama-it's a great read. Judging by the last chapters of the book, I think the current White House chef, Cristeta Comerford, might be staying, she sounds like she's got a handle on the job, as well as being flexible enough to adapt to a new regime.

There is an article in this morning's Post about Scheib disappearing while hiking on a trail in/near Taos, N.M., the town where he most recently relocated.  He's been missing since Saturday.  It's encouraging that this is still a search and rescue operation, but it's unsettling that it's been nearly a week.

[thistle]

There is an article in this morning's Post about Scheib disappearing while hiking on a trail in/near Taos, N.M., the town where he most recently relocated.  He's been missing since Saturday.  It's encouraging that this is still a search and rescue operation, but it's unsettling that it's been nearly a week.

I saw this, too - I hope for a positive outcome, but hiking alone, with recent flooding, doesn't bode well.

[ScotteeM]

"Former White House Top Chef Missing in New Mexico Mountains" by Lindsey Bever on washingtonpost.com

[Pat]

I should be able to move the other posts about this here but I'm not good at this.

Sorry, I didn't know there were other posts. I tried to check. My bad. I saw it on the evening news tonight. Hope he's OK. It's not sounding good.

You didn't do anything wrong.  I should have created a new thread, I guess.  I added it to a thread about White House chefs that mentioned him.

They're apparently able to ping his cellphone to a mountain, but unless he had a lot of water and some food with him, it's definitely not looking good.

This is the last CNN update I've seen.

[ScotteeM]

Sadly, his body has been found, 1.7 miles from the base of the trail he was walking when he disappeared.

"Body of Former White House Chef Missing in New Mexico Mountains Found" by Phil Helsel and Reuters on abcnews.com

[DonRocks]

Sadly, his body has been found, 1.7 miles from the base of the trail he was walking when he disappeared.

"Body of Former White House Chef Missing in New Mexico Mountains Found" by Phil Helsel and Reuters on abcnews.com

When I first heard this, I was afraid it might be a suicide, and I guess that possibility is still open (*). I'm so sorry to hear this news.

My deepest condolences to all who knew Walter Scheib. His family moved from Oakland, California to Bethesda when he was a child, and he graduated from Walter Johnson High School, and then the University of Maryland in College Park before graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

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(*) Probably not. It's good because he wasn't suffering; it's tragic because he wanted to stay - I suppose we could begin a new topic on this issue, but here, it's best to remain focused on this sad tale..

[JPW]

Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.