A familiar face from Washington's culinary scene will be appearing alongside Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford Thursday morning on the fourth hour of the "Today Show." Chef Jacques Haeringer will be teaching the ladies how to make chocolate truffles, just in time for the holidays. "The theme is holiday desserts that you can bring along to the party," Haeringer explained, promising that making truffles is actually easy. Haeringer's family has been feeding locals for six decades, first with his father's downtown restaurant Chez Francois (located on the block where Equinox sits now) and then later at their Great Falls country inn L'Auberge Chez Francois. Between the restaurants, they've fed celebrities and every president except the present one. But the family is also appreciated because they don't serve and spill. "Dad's policy and mine remains the same, everyone is known, but not noticed," Haeringer said, but with one caveat. "It is true that I told every Republican candidate who came -- and it was almost all of them -- that when they won they could put Marine One in the back."
Seeing that this didn't happen, Haeringer hopes that President Obama will finally pay the place a visit. "I wish he'd do a Friday night Michelle date out here -- wouldn't that be wonderful?" he suggested. (Her birthday is next month, after all).
In the meantime, Haeringer is showing off his cooking skills on TV, doing the "Today Show" spot and cooking a seafood-inspired holiday meal for CBS' "The Talk" on Christmas Eve. And at the restaurant, he's serving up a French classic -- roast goose with chestnut stuffing. "We're like Macy's," he said. "This is our month to shine."
