America's presidents and their steaks: How personal taste shaped the Oval Office

Americans reflect on leadership, history and the men who shaped the nation on Presidents Day. 

But beyond speeches and diplomacy, there's one thread running from the Founding era to the modern White House: steak.

Although steak was sometimes served at state dinners, it was more commonly prepared for the first family's private meals at the White House or Camp David, according to Adrian Miller, a James Beard Award-winning culinary historian and Colorado-based author.

Knowing what those dinners looked like offers a window into a president's "personality and soul," Miller told Fox News Digital. "Americans simultaneously want our president to be exceptional and a lot like us."

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"Presidents become more relatable when they share what they like to eat, especially the food from their childhood," Miller added. "Americans have been annoyed with presidents who seemed to like foreign food more than homegrown specialties."

From colonial beef pies to rooftop grilling at the White House, here's how nine presidents ate their steak, according to cookbooks, memoirs, contemporary reports and historical records.

George Washington, America's first president, reportedly favored beefsteak and kidney pie. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

George Washington

Long before modern steakhouses, America's first president reportedly favored beefsteak and kidney pie, which was a popular 18th-century Anglo-American dish, according to historical accounts.

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In Washington's era, steak was often baked into savory pies rather than served as the standalone cut Americans recognize today.

Because of Washington's chronic dental issues and dentures, the softer preparation might have been more practical for him.

Theodore Roosevelt

An avid outdoorsman, the 26th president embraced hearty, camp-style cooking. 

During his famous 1903 Yosemite camping trip with naturalist John Muir, Roosevelt reportedly enjoyed grilled steaks and simple meals prepared outdoors. 

President Theodore Roosevelt reportedly embraced hearty, outdoor cooking. (T.W. Ingersoll via Getty Images)

Roosevelt favored straightforward fare. He later played a central role in reforming the meatpacking industry after reading Upton Sinclair's iconic novel "The Jungle," helping to push through the 1906 Meat Inspection Act.

William Howard Taft

President Taft regularly ate a 12-ounce steak for breakfast, alongside toast, fruit and coffee, according to White House housekeeper Elizabeth Jaffray's published recollections. 

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Taft was the heaviest U.S. president — but even when he tried to diet, he just limited his steak intake to six ounces, though it was a sign of his times. 

In the early 1900s, steak symbolized prosperity during a period of expansion and industrial growth.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The earliest records of steak temperatures trace back to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, according to Miller.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, seen at left with former President Herbert Hoover in 1954, preferred rare steaks. (Bettman)

"Backyard grilling was really taking off in popularity during the 1950s, so home cooks were probably more interested in doneness at that time," he said.

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Eisenhower loved grilling so much that he had a grill set up on the White House rooftop, outside the third-floor Solarium, according to Miller.

Former White House Executive Chef François Rysavy wrote in his memoir that Eisenhower preferred rare steaks, and he'd cook them himself — rubbing them with oil and garlic before tossing them onto hot coals. 

John F. Kennedy

President John F. Kennedy's health shaped his diet. Suffering from chronic gastrointestinal issues, he reportedly preferred simple, lightly seasoned meals. 

President John F. Kennedy reportedly favored simple, lightly seasoned meals due to his chronic gastrointestinal issues.

Danish journalist Inga Arvad, who dated Kennedy in the early 1940s, prepared plain steak dinners for him with mild vegetables such as peas, carrots and mashed potatoes, according to archived letters.

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Ronald Reagan

President Ronald Reagan favored straightforward American cooking, including steak served at his California ranch, Rancho del Cielo. 

While formal White House dinners could be elaborate, Reagan reportedly preferred simple meals in private, including steak with a side of chili, according to reports.

President Ronald Reagan takes a bite of a McDonald's Big Mac during a campaign stop in 1984. (Bettman)

Midway through his presidency in 1985, after doctors discovered a benign polyp and traces of blood during routine tests, Reagan was advised to avoid rare steak and other red meats.

Instead, he was urged to adopt a high-fiber, low-fat diet as he underwent further medical evaluation, according to reports at the time.

George H.W. Bush

President George H.W. Bush, long associated with Texas, was known to enjoy steakhouse dining. 

During a 1992 campaign stop in Oklahoma City, he ordered a T-bone steak "charred but rare" at Cattlemen's Steakhouse, according to reports from that time.

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Steak remained part of Bush's life even after leaving office. 

His son and President George W. Bush recalled in a eulogy that, during a hospital stay, a steak from Morton's the Steakhouse was delivered to him.

President George H.W. Bush enjoyed ribs at a White House congressional barbecue in 1992. (Maureen Keating/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images)

Bill Clinton

Before adopting a largely plant-based diet, President Bill Clinton was known for enjoying steak. 

Former White House Executive Chef Walter Scheib wrote in his memoir and said in interviews that Clinton requested a large porterhouse steak with creamy béarnaise sauce and onion rings, particularly when first lady Hillary Clinton was traveling. 

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Scheib said the president's plate "always came back clean."

Donald J. Trump

In March 2017, during his first Washington, D.C., dinner in office, President Donald J. Trump dined at BLT Prime in his hotel. 

He ordered a $54 dry-aged strip steak cooked well-done and served with ketchup, according to the Washington Post.

President Donald J. Trump prefers his steak cooked all the way through.  (Stephen Lovekin/WireImage for Hill & Knowlton)

The president prefers his steak cooked so thoroughly that "it would rock on the plate," his longtime butler told The New York Times. 

"For almost every person in the world, it’s totally OK to prefer your steak cooked all the way through," according to a column in Eater in 2017. 

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"It’s totally and completely fine. Fully one quarter of America prefers their steak well done or medium-well," the piece also said. 

In 2007, Trump launched Trump Steaks, a short-lived venture with the tagline "The World's Greatest Steaks."