Presidents Day: Suncoast woman remembers her time working alongside Obamas

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Presidents Day marks a time for Americans to remember those who have served in the highest office in the land. One Suncoast woman took the time to speak with ABC7 about her time working with the Obama family.

Tanya Steel works to promote health eating. She’s the Executive Director for Careers through Culinary Arts Program and is the Award Director for the Julia Child Award. Steel is also the author of Food Fight: A Mouthwatering History of Who Ate What & Why Through the Ages. She worked alongside first lady Michelle Obama at the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner.”

Steel keeps photos from the dinners and says the events were amazing experiences.

“You know, working with Mrs. Obama was the highlight of my professional career. I have to say. I can’t tell you how incredible she is. Everything that you think she is, she’s that and more. She’s just so smart, so compassionate, so giving, so warm, so smart. I mean, really incredible. And she was so hard working. Her staff loved her and you know, that says a lot,” Steel remembers.

Tanya worked alongside Mrs. Obama over the course of five years and worked with her vision to help kids to dream big and eat healthy.

“ I was an editor at Food and Wine and Bon Appetit and then. Right. Epicurious, I’ve written three books and the thing that I keep coming back to is working with kids, both younger kids and older kids,” Steel told ABC7

It’s something that Steel hopes to continue to do in the years to come.

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