Dine & Dish | Military Leadership Meets Hospitality Excellence | Jonathan Oringdulph

MIchele N DiMeo: All right, everyone, we are back for episode of Dine and Dish. ⁓ And well, another week. And what's exciting it's summer. We're here.

We finally have nice weather. It's not cold. It's not raining. ⁓ Sun is shining.

⁓ And today's show, I ⁓ I every week I'm super excited I love my guests, but this is gonna be such a ⁓ super cool show. And ⁓ Jonathan Oringdulph: The MIchele N DiMeo: ⁓ I have to tell you, I really wanted to do it the week that the US Navy graduated and commissioned, but we couldn't pull it together, but we finally did. And ⁓ a ⁓ long story, but very good friend. ⁓ my kids basically like a godfather to my children, ⁓ raised them, been God, I think Dave was even by my side when we delivered Maury and Alana, but ⁓ very good friend of Dave Epperson ⁓ put us together.

And I haven't seen John in ⁓ my god, John, how long has it been since we've seen each other? Jonathan Oringdulph: Twenty sixteen, I believe, or twenty seventeen maybe. MIchele N DiMeo: Wow. and to be able to do this and have you on the show is so amazing.

So I want to get you introduced and so we can jump into these stories because the stories you have, I think everybody listening is just gonna be so wild. but I have John on the line and I'm gonna let him I I don't even want to get I I don't think I can do your experience justice, John. So I'm gonna let you introduce yourself because your background and The military and what you bring to the table is just so incredible. So I'm gonna turn the mic over to you and welcome to my show.

Jonathan Oringdulph: Michelle, thanks for having me. I've I'm I've I've been excited about this. ⁓ my wife has been excited about it. We've had we've had almost 33 years of just really, really good experiences, and I love for the opportunity to talk about about ⁓ my service time and and some of the great things that I got to do there.

But but all started back about six months after I got married in 1993. I I Jennifer and I were looking to have some kids, and I was like, you know, we were young. Kit, you know, ourselves, ⁓ and and ⁓ she goes, Hey, look, ⁓ there's this ad in the newspaper. I loved aviation.

She said, There's ⁓ needed aircraft mechanics. We'll train to, you know, we'll we'll pay to train. The 800 number. So I called it and I was like, Hey, and they're like, ⁓ United States Navy, can we help you?

And that's kind of how I ended up ⁓ joining the military, right? So they were s I I hung up the phone and two seconds later a recruiter called said, Come down. MIchele N DiMeo: Ha ha Jonathan Oringdulph: ⁓ we're gonna test ya. And and ⁓ but he but he he was good in that, you know, he's like, Hey, ⁓ are you married?

I'm like, Yeah, he Hey, the military pays for a little extra money when you're married. I'm like, Wow. He goes, ⁓ you want to have kids? I'm like, Yeah, we do.

Yeah, the military they pay for that. ⁓ so he c he hook line and sinkered me the whole time, right? So I go down, he says, You want to be on a ship? And I said, Not particularly.

He said, Go over the Air Force. So I went over to the Air Force side, ⁓ joined up with those guys. ⁓ went off to be an engine mechanic on C one thirties and I did that for for ⁓ almost four years ⁓ while I was going to school at night, finishing my degree. I had a pilot license.

I loved to fly. I was hoping to fly in the military, but I never was able to do it because I was too old by the time I graduated college. But graduated college and then the Navy commissioned me as a as a supply officer. I had no idea what that was, Michelle.

I ⁓ I what is that? You know, a guy said ⁓ he said it's a MIchele N DiMeo: Wow. Jonathan Oringdulph: You do logistics and stuff like that. I'm like, okay, well let's ⁓ let's see what that's all about.

⁓ my very first job Michelle in the Navy was ⁓ the wardroom officer on an aircraft carrier. ⁓ and this thing was ⁓ it was massive. so after I'd gone to supply school and and kind of started to figure stuff out and ⁓ I got my orders to my first ship down in Norfolk, USS George Washington, Nimitz class aircraft carrier. ⁓ I was scared to death.

I had no idea. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. Jonathan Oringdulph: Yeah, I didn't even know how to get on this thing, right? I'm a I'm an ensign in the Navy.

I I'm a you know former Air Force guy. I'm walking down the pier and I'm like, I I was gonna I thought I was gonna cry. I was like, how do I get on? What do we do?

And then I finally made it, and my ⁓ senior chief ⁓ petty officer, Yvonne Manning, was waiting for me at the top of the brow. ⁓ and I immediately said, ⁓ senior chief, I don't know what I'm doing. She goes, Don't worry. ⁓ you stick by me and and you'll be all right.

⁓ and that was the beginning of so so four years in the Air Force, loved it, into mechanic. ⁓ and that was the beginning of my of my career. And it really food service, I had no idea, but we had two officer dining rooms on the on the aircraft carrier. We fed about three hundred and fifty or four hundred officers.

MIchele N DiMeo: Wow. So so John, wait, before you get into your your food service, I want to talk a little bit about your military background because your story is a little different. I mean, I mean, you know, my daughter commissioned from the US Naval Academy, but she went through the academy. So your experience was a little bit different because you went to college and then you enlisted through the Air Force and the Navy.

And I think Dave had said you had what, twenty-five and a half years of military service? Jonathan Oringdulph: That's right, twenty five and a half years. Yeah. MIchele N DiMeo: Wow.

Wow. And now you transitioned over to private sector. So ⁓ you're now working f in the hospitality world, which we'll get to ⁓ because I want to talk through some of your stories. Cause I mean, we're gonna talk White House and ⁓ presidential events and but you know, looking back before we get into the food service, ⁓ what what were you most proud of?

I mean, you've done so much in the military. So from aircraft on the ground to food. I mean, what was the most I guess the most enjoyable, the most proud moments you had why, you know, the whole years of service? Jonathan Oringdulph: Well, I mean, the most proud ⁓ moments for me were when the when the kids were born, right?

But I I think the I think the most ⁓ incredible memories that I have ⁓ in my service and I'm not I wasn't different than anybody else. We all worked hard and we all ch you know, did our very best to learn and and and to and to make sure that we did a good job. ⁓ but I w just the wonderful people that were put in my path somehow that had ⁓ just profound impact on on ⁓ my life. And that's ⁓ and I and as I look back, I think to myself, how did this ever happen?

I mean, none of this I mean, it's ⁓ you know, folks that I've met, ⁓ orders that I received, none none of those things were were ⁓ you know, pre planned. It was all you know, it was all you know, th just a a a circumstance of of MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. Jonathan Oringdulph: Being in the right place at right time and having a good attitude. And and I ⁓ so my my most proud ⁓ moment was God, I could think when I got commissioned, I was very, very happy about that.

⁓ because that was a goal ⁓ for me when I when I started in in the Air Force. I want I ⁓ I wanted to be an officer. ⁓ and that worked out pretty well. And then Getting recommended to go to the White House.

What a what a big deal. You know, nobody gets to do that. Yeah. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah.

⁓ my God. That's that's amazing. You know, I have to say one of the things that you said is so true. The people you meet in the the world of the military.

I mean, I have to tell you that when ⁓ my daughter decided to do pleep summer and go to the US Naval Academy, you know, that whole experience of not knowing what to expect. Everything you said, it was just like, wow, you don't know what to expect. You don't know what to go through. And as a parent, you get there and you see these this building with these big doors.

And you know, they you know how it is, they walk in and the doors slam and as the door slam, it's almost like your heart i the banging of the door is your heart drops because you're like, ⁓ it like knocks the air out of you because you just the experience is so overwhelming. But the people that you meet during that experience, I mean, one of the the families that I met during Plebe Summer, it she's now one of my closest best friends, Jill. And her daughter played soccer with Maury.

And we just became we're still best friends. And I think we'll be lifelong friends. I mean, it the experiences that we went through together, you know, just the ex It's just that overall connection. And I mean, even my daughter says it too.

These are gonna be friends that she's gonna have for life because of the experiences they went through together. So I couldn't agree more when you say you met the best people. Just in the four years that my daughter's been there, I've met the most amazing people. So I can't imagine you actually being in the military, the people that you've got to work with and and experience.

And you know, the other thing that you said and and I think this is why I wanted you to be on this show. And I reached out to Dave is, you know, in order to serve, and when we say serve, and I want to talk about service and what service means in just a minute, service means so much from what you do for your country, what you do for people, and what we do in in the restaurant industry and hospitality, because we serve. And ⁓ and I want to talk through that and I wanna get your definition of that and what you feel service means to you because this whole show is so relevant from military to service to hospitality.

So I'm gonna give you the mic just for a minute to talk through service and then we we have to jump into the White House because that in and above itself is going to be so cool. Jonathan Oringdulph: So interesting, ⁓ Michelle. ⁓ number one, to have a child that goes to the Naval Academy is a huge deal. And it is it is a testament of the great parents and the great ⁓ things that that you have done ⁓ to have to have somebody there.

And I served directly for the superintendent of the Naval Academy, three of as is as their supply aid. ⁓ and that was a that was another job that I never thought I'd, you know, I didn't know existed. But But the ⁓ to see these kids at the Naval Academy, you can't help but fall in love with with with them, right? They are nation's finest.

I mean, and I mean that from you know from the bottom of my heart. And those parents that are, you know, in alumni hall when it's in doc day, ⁓ you need to be proud. That is a huge accomplishment and that is ⁓ it is it is rare and a testament to to to the good things. MIchele N DiMeo: Mm-hmm.

Jonathan Oringdulph: ⁓ that you were able to do ⁓ to to guide that midshipman there. And then now her her career is is ⁓ is it's gonna explode and do great things. ⁓ that's awesome. Service ⁓ Michelle is what makes the world better period.

I don't care if you're country, you know I love, love, love our military ⁓ men and women who who selflessly serve and do great things. The people in the service industry and hospitality industry MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. Jonathan Oringdulph: are absolute heroes to me. And they are ⁓ they're undervalued, they're underpaid, and they are absolutely incredible people ⁓ that have had a tremendous impact on me and and ⁓ and how I look at life and how I look at my job and how I look at at ⁓ you know things that are important and and that comes from just working with the good humble you know hardworking folks that that that are you know trying to make ends meet but doing a great job ⁓ So yeah, service is is a and it's just that, right?

We don't nobody gets rich. We're no nobody's nobody's ⁓ you know, ki killing it out there. We're we're we're getting by and we're doing hard things and and we're making the world better. And that's what that's what I love about the industry.

MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. So you talked a a little bit about your Naval Academy experience. So I I want to rewind ⁓ because we have to, while we're talking about the Navy, let's talk about you said you supported the superintendent. So for the listeners, I mean, not everybody I believe me, it was such an education for me.

I I, you know, all these lingo and all the the short words everybody was using, I was like, ⁓ my God, I gotta learn all this, you know, because you don't know all the terms. So for for those that might not know. you know, what the superintendent is and what supporting it means and, you know, ⁓ how you helped with large scale for food service for the Naval Academy and and what ⁓ what you actually did there. If you can just take a couple minutes and talk through that ⁓ just to educate the listeners, that would be really amazing.

Jonathan Oringdulph: That so ⁓ the Navy and their great wisdom ⁓ gives these admirals staffs, right? ⁓ a staff of people to help them ⁓ in their in their ⁓ jobs. ⁓ the guy that runs the Naval Academy is a three-star admiral. ⁓ and then under him, he's got ⁓ a commandant of midshipman.

That's ⁓ usually a very senior 06, ⁓ could be a Marine or a Navy person, ⁓ and then and then staff's manage the brigade of midshipment. So the brigade's about 4,000 people, about 4,000 kids, right? ⁓ and they all live at Bancroft Hall and at the Naval Academy. I got a phone call when when we were I was at Pax River, Maryland.

I was doing an internship for the Navy. I was a young, young lieutenant. So I just ⁓ I had just ⁓ pinned on O three for for military folks. That's if if you're in the Army, that's a that's a captain.

⁓ if you're in the Marine Corps, that's a captain. If you're in the Navy, it's a lieutenant. Air Force, it's a captain. So I had just been on this rank and my detailer, that's the guy that assigns us to jobs, called and said, Hey, ⁓ we need an aide for a three-star admiral ⁓ in Annapolis.

Are you interested? So I asked Jennifer, my wife, I'm like, you wanna wanna see if we you know shall I apply for this? She goes, Yeah, why not? So I went over to the Naval Academy.

It's typically Naval Academy guys that go into that job, but I the I think the Admiral that I that I ⁓ was gonna work for, he he'd gone through a few guys and and I was kind of his last his last hope to get a supply aid. ⁓ so so that job as a as a the superintendent of the naval academy, you have hundreds of events that you do every year. You've got these midshipmen that you've got a that you've got to ⁓ MIchele N DiMeo: Ha ha ha. Jonathan Oringdulph: to to grow and to and to teach and you've got different alumni association groups that that you know provide resources.

⁓ you've got Navy folks, right? So you've got admirals all over the place that that are that's their alma mater and it's a big deal. ⁓ and you got Navy football, it's a it's a division one or Navy sports I should say altogether. It's a Division one school.

⁓ so you've got all these different things that you gotta host ⁓ as a superintendent. So you need a guy, right? Well, he'd had a whole staff. He had a protocol staff that ⁓ that managed, you know, the the in-depth protocol pieces.

⁓ and then he had me. I managed his budget and I managed the guys that cooked for him at his house. And we put together events. ⁓ and we did that in collaboration with King Hall and and ⁓ others.

King Hall is where the kids all eat, all the all the midshipmen. And so yeah, that was my job. My job was to to to make sure that all the superintendents' events went really good. And you don't do any of that without without great people.

And those people were outstanding. And I was, I was not, ⁓ I mean, I had been the wardroom officer on the ship, so I had a little bit of understanding about the food service piece. ⁓ but I'll tell you, I th that was a up at five to bed at 10 p.m.

I mean, we were just going all day, and it was it was ⁓ 100 miles an hour. And then you you know you fall in love with these midshipmen because they're such incredible kids. You just you love ⁓ And yeah. So that's MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah.

Well, it's funny you said that. So during commission week, one of the events is at the superintendent's home and they do the garden party in his yard. And you know, I was watch first off, I didn't even know the grounds where the superintendent's home is. The backyard is, I mean, when I tell you beautiful, the grounds are beautiful.

I mean, obviously the Naval Academy has probably one of the most beautiful landscape and property in probably the world. But you don't realize when you go to some of these homes, like what the grounds look like. So he has this big garden party. The first thing I said was, I wonder who's putting this event together because it's a lot of moving pieces.

I mean you have, you know, a thousand midshipmen graduating. They have all their families. So you you might have two or four people per midshipman going to this party and then they run them Four to six, six to eight, based on their company. And, you know, I thought, wow, they're moving them through.

They have somebody like at the door moving them through. And then they have people in the back with the music and the food. And I'm like, all right, well, who's putting this person together? Well, I guess it was you or someone that's now you, fast forward so many years.

Jonathan Oringdulph: That's right. and Michelle, ⁓ the those big parties that happen like that are a are a group effort that is, I think, in l largely in part done by the protocol office. That's an office of staff that's that's at the at the administration building at the Naval Academy ⁓ administration offices, right there where the superintendent is. And these guys manage guest lists, they manage all the protocol stuff.

⁓ yeah. And then there's the food service piece, which ⁓ which the which was what I did. So I I reached out King Hall. Those King Hall guys are amazing.

They feed they feed these midshipmen who eat a lot. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. I was gonna say, how much food do you actually I can't ⁓ first off, King Hall's huge. Okay.

So I can't even imagine how much food. Do you have any statistics of how much food got cooked in a day, a week? I I can't even imagine what went through those kitchens. Jonathan Oringdulph: I don't know, but they're out there and it's staggering.

It's like a cruise ship, right? I mean it's the yeah, if you think of ⁓ of that type of ⁓ operation, I mean breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I think there's mid rats, mid midnight rations also. ⁓ and then they have on the side parties that they gotta that they that they host as well. And they got these food service workers that are that are machines.

I mean they're very, very good. I love MIchele N DiMeo: I'm sure. Jonathan Oringdulph: I love those people. They were they were the they were they were dear to me, number one, because they always, always came through and did a great job.

And that's a that's a big deal when you're a ⁓ a young lieutenant, right? You you don't need you don't need bad press. You need you need things to work great. Yeah.

Yeah. And and I'll tell you yeah. But there a lot of food. A lot of food running through there.

Absolutely. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah, of course. Yeah. I I can't even imagine.

I mean, like I said, even when we went to the ball, I mean, just you know, what was going on in it it was very impressive because you you don't realize how you don't you don't look at the US Naval Academy as being a caterer, a food service, you know, this events, you have all these different events that go on. Even I mean, right on the yard, they have a restaurant, they have, you know, the private clubs, they have the call so They're running restaurants and hospitality events right on the yard.

And, you know, a lot of people don't even realize that. I mean, I never knew that. I I've lived in Annapolis for almost 30 years. And, you know, as much as I knew the Naval Academy, I didn't know it until I actually had a child that attended there.

You know, it's just it's a it's an amazing organization, just everything about it. But let's transition to the White House because we're gonna run out of time. And I'm so excited to hear about, you know, just events that you've done. I mean, you have first off, you have to talk about how you even got into the White House and then what's the White House mess and how does that whole work and and events and so talk through that process for me.

Jonathan Oringdulph: You bet. So the White House Military Office is the president's ⁓ sort of of military office that's on site, ⁓ and they do all the military stuff that the president needs, i.e., Air Force One, ⁓ so the Air Force manages that, and the White House Military manag manages the you know, it's called Presidential Air Group, Marine One, if you're familiar with the Marines that fly the those white top helicopters, ⁓ the White House Communications Agency.

So they do all of the communications that the president needs, secure and unsecure, ⁓ and and the and IT systems ⁓ that that he uses, right? And then you've got ⁓ Camp David, we've all heard of Camp David, right? That's run by the Navy, that's part of the White House Military Office. You've got the White House Medical Unit, that's the president's doctors and and ⁓ and ⁓ nurses and those those those teams that that that ⁓ take care of The president, the first family, and and and staff around around ⁓ that's around him.

⁓ and then you got Presidential Food Service, which was us, ⁓ and you've got ⁓ White House Transportation Agency. ⁓ and those are the guys that do their their black car service, they're also they they handle ⁓ any of the road movements that have to be taken care of during presidential travel, etc. ⁓ so it's a it's a great big ⁓ you know logistics. ⁓ event ⁓ enterprise really that that ⁓ MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah.

So it it's almost impress. So there's so many different moving pieces. I can't even imagine just with security, because you have to make sure everything coming in. I mean, it's not like at a regular restaurant where you bring in a purveyor and they drop off trucks and the food goes in and it's like there you go, drop it off, just do the inventory, check it in.

No, I mean it's gotta go through an entire security process. And I I I can't even imagine what that process looks like. I mean, even for Air Force One, I mean, who Who caters the food on Air Force One? And and you know, we talked about last week I had ⁓ a guest on, or maybe it was two shows ago.

We talked about five-star service and Michelin's service. And now we're talking ⁓ you went from US Naval Academy, and now you're doing events at the White House. And the White House obviously serving presidents, world leaders, ⁓ prestigious assignments. So there's so many different things that you're catering to that I'm sure that level of detail is right online with five star and and Michelin service.

Wouldn't you ⁓ wouldn't you agree? Jonathan Oringdulph: Percent, a hundred percent. Now, ⁓ there's two different ⁓ food service activities at the White House. So the president in the in the mansion has the executive chef, who is his personal executive chef.

It was Krista Cummerford for many, many years. She's a wonderful, wonderful chef. ⁓ and and they fall under, I believe it's Treasury ⁓ and her staff. That's the ⁓ that's the ⁓ and they fall under the usher that's in the White House.

And then you've got the White House Navy mess. And what we did was we ran the we ran the the restaurant in the West Wing and we fed the president and his guests whenever he was in the Oval Office or on the road. ⁓ so if if the president was was in the Oval Office for lunch, we we took care of him. I had two guys that were assigned to the Oval Office that were absolutely incredible.

I had three guys assigned over at the staff, because if you can or over at the matching. Because if you can imagine, ⁓ wherever he goes, there's gotta be kind of this bubble. Right. And s and in terms of food food security, ⁓ that's one of the biggest pieces as well.

You you can't just take a plate and hand it to the president. It's gotta come from from you know s certain people that are cleared, right? ⁓ and y and you you think about it, ⁓ what about the you know, what about ice cubes in his cup? We made all that stuff.

We took we took everything with us ⁓ to to take care of him ⁓ on the road. ⁓ and then you know, at the at the mess, ⁓ And what the mess is is essentially it's a it's a r it's a club that is in the West Wing. It it dates all the way back to the eighteen eighties when sailors were assigned to the presidential yacht in in Washington, DC. So the Navy took care of all of the services for there.

And then in the in 1950, I think fifty one or fifty-eight is when ⁓ the the ⁓ officer's mess was established at the White House. ⁓ and then it was the Navy that came in and ran that. And then it now it's like one of the most prestigious ⁓ places to to take a guest or to be able to eat ⁓ on the on the 18 acres, which is you know the the White House ⁓ proper. But and it's all Navy guys.

with the except we have one army guy, we had one we had one ⁓ Marine, and we had a Coast Guard person, and we had an Air Force ⁓ Master Sergeant. They were all the best from their services in terms of of food service. ⁓ but And we had 60 guys and they would ⁓ you know go advance with the president, travel with him on Air Force One, anything that he needed, they took care of. And and that's from you know the suite that that ⁓ that he stays in to any food service that they need.

And the Air Force One guys, ⁓ they had their own chefs that were that were assigned to the aircraft and absolutely phenomenal cooks. They were just terrific kids. ⁓ and lot of times when you're in a place, you know, certain places, the we we really leaned on those guys to to to help us defeat the president. Because that's kind of a traveling, you know, safety net as well.

So if the president was somewhere we could we could ask the Air Force guys, Hey, can we can we get some something for the boss? And they always took care of that for us. Very, very good. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah, it's funny that they're all Navy.

I mean, you would never think that. I mean, doing the show, I didn't know that. You know, and I mean, how cool is it that the whole food services run by naval officers or, you know, from na that's super cool to me. I mean, that's you know, coming from Annapolis and having the Naval Academy right in my backyard, that's super cool.

So it's not army, it's navy. Jonathan Oringdulph: Okay. Right. But we don't have an army.

We have an army. Well, when I was there, he's a he was a ⁓ first class. So he was a ⁓ he was an E7. Greatest guy.

⁓ my gosh, was this guy talented? I mean, and they're all talented. Anybody that the that the that the ⁓ that our sister services send to work in the White House mess, I've I've never had a complaint one. They were absolutely the best of their of their service.

interesting story. ⁓ so when I've So one of the admirals that was in charge of the White House military office came and came to an event at the superintendent's house. And he pulled me aside as Admiral Miller. He ended up being the superintendent later on.

But but ⁓ Admiral Miller pulled me aside and goes, John, he goes, he goes, ⁓ hey man, if you ⁓ we have a we have a position at the White House ⁓ for Navy guys. ⁓ if you're if you're interested in in doing that, let me know. I didn't think much of it at the time, I don't know why. But ⁓ he ended up calling me ⁓ a couple months later and he's like and he said, John, ⁓ would you come and and and interview?

And I was like, Of course I would, I'd I'd be honored. So at the Naval Academy, Vice or excuse me, Admiral Clark, who's the CNO, was visiting ⁓ one day before I was getting ready to leave. And ⁓ Admiral Rempt, ⁓ who's my who was my boss at the time, said, Hey, ⁓ Admiral Clark John here is gonna go to the White House mess. and he stopped and he looked at me and he goes, John, he goes, all of my ⁓ s ⁓ sister service component ⁓ chiefs, that's the chief staff of the Air Force, Chief Staff of the Army, ⁓ Commandant of the Marine Corps, those guys, he goes, They all asked me why ⁓ why they don't have a spot for one of their guys at the at the Navy mess.

And he goes, I don't have a good answer for ⁓ So I of course I'm a lieutenant, right? ⁓ any if the CNO says something, you just you nod north and south. And I said I said, Yes sir, I'll h we'll look into it. About two years later we had one from every ⁓ every branch of service serving there.

It was it was great. MIchele N DiMeo: Wow. So I know you can't get into too many confidential details, but can you share any memorable experience or any stories that ⁓ from the White House that while you were there that you could talk about, like maybe some dinners or some world leaders or I mean, obviously you can't talk too much details because it's confidential, but any stories that you can share with the listeners? Jonathan Oringdulph: So I will say, so anytime we get these any head of state, any type of those guys, Krista Cummerford and her staff, which are which are ⁓ are ⁓ the White House ⁓ food service folks, they're they're s top of the pyramid in terms of of ⁓ in terms of talent.

I mean they're they're these state dinners and these things that they do are phenomenal. ⁓ we support in those roles. So so if she needs like guys to come into the kitchen and help. we're pretty kind of an easy button because we're all cleared, the Navy guys.

So we would go and we'd help her. do you remember when the government was shut down in twenty seventeen? I think it was it was the ⁓ maybe it twenty eighteen. It was ⁓ was actually the winter of twenty nineteen.

So so ⁓ I was out in Colorado and we were driving back. ⁓ my I I grew up in Colorado. So I was we were driving back and it I think it was beginning of January and ⁓ I got a phone call from the head usher. Tim Tim Harlith was his name.

Head usher's the guy that runs all of the mansion, right? And and of the folks that you that you work with There's a couple that you'll make sure you never ever miss a phone call from, the head usher, my boss, which was the White House military office officer, and ⁓ of course any of the presidential ballets and our and our ⁓ person that ran management administration. ⁓ those are the those are the people that that kind of are over us. I got a phone call from Tim and here's how I answer the phone.

I answer it like I always do, and there's hundreds of these stories, but ⁓ so I I I didn't even say hello. I said, Tim, whatever you need, we got it. And he goes, he goes, John, he goes, ⁓ you may regret that. I go, tell me, don't know what's going on.

Well, the government would shut down. And we had ⁓ the NCAA football champions that were supposed to be coming to the White House. And so the president pulled him in and he said, Hey, ⁓ I want to feed him McDonald's. Do you remember that?

I go, okay. So so tell me what tell what he wants to do. And he goes, McDonald's and pizza. I'm like, please tell me it's gonna it can be good pizza.

He goes, Nope. Domino's. Which Domino's is great, don't get me wrong. I'm like, okay.

That was probably one of the most difficult things. Cause I'm thinking, okay, we we have to do this because they don't have staff. ⁓ and the government was shut down. So we gotta go set up the mansion.

We gotta go get ready for this. And then you can't just go to a MIchele N DiMeo: It's funny. Yeah. Jonathan Oringdulph: McDonald's and say I need, you know, I need 300 Mc you know, Big Macs, I need fish sandwiches, I need a bunch of quarter pounders.

⁓ and you can't even get you can't get fries there, right? Because they they have a shelf life. so but but we pulled it off and it was amazing. ⁓ and there's pictures all over the internet of the of the of which that wasn't, you know, it I just need experience.

Neat experience. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. I was just saying, how do you del how do you even pick up all McDonald's pizza? I mean, does somebody check it?

How does it I there's gotta be like a whole security process, right? You can't just roll through McDonald's and order 30 burgers, you know? Jonathan Oringdulph: A hundred percent. Yeah.

Well, turns out people people do order McDonald's for their parties, right? Birthday parties, etcetera. We use probably a hand we handful of them of restaurants. So, you know, you don't order everything from the same one, you use a handful, and then you send your runners out, and then they're essentially just picking up an order for a party.

And that's how you gotta do it. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. Wow. That's cool.

That's cool. It's a cool story. You don't expect to see burgers and Domino's pizza in the White House. ⁓ I guess everybody eats, you know, that kind of food once in a while, right?

Jonathan Oringdulph: Tchau. Yep, that's right. And and the kids loved it. I mean, these are football players.

They thought it was a gr ⁓ it was best thing ever. It was it was neat. And so I he he ended up doing that a couple of times. But when I first ⁓ so I did several jobs at the White House, ⁓ two I was Presidential Food Service in two thousand four, ⁓ and and two thousand ⁓ to two thousand six under ⁓ President George W.

Bush. ⁓ and then I moved over to a different office in the White House Military Office. MIchele N DiMeo: That's funny. Jonathan Oringdulph: ⁓ for the next well almost all of Obama's ⁓ administration.

I worked somewhere different. And then when Trump came in in in twenty ⁓ sixteen twenty seventeen, ⁓ I got a phone call from the director of the White House Military Office, who's a dear friend of mine. He said, ⁓ John, we need you to come back downtown. we ⁓ we need a a director of Presidential Food Service at that that's the last guy didn't work out, something happened and that happens a lot.

⁓ He ⁓ but we got a new president and I don't have a food service director here. And we'll just keep you for a couple of months and then you can go back to your ol your other job. I'm like, yeah, it's fine. So I so I went downtown and I talked with ⁓ so my deputy's a master chief.

Just the we get the best guys. And the master chief is an E9, right? So that's the same thing as a sergeant major, same thing as a master gunnery sergeant, ⁓ same thing as a chief master sergeant in the Air Force. and I said, ⁓ I said, ⁓ Master Chief, what what did you guys feed the president for his first meal in the White House?

This was the day after inauguration. So this was this well two days after. Inauguration was Friday, this was Sunday. And he goes he goes, Meatloaf.

And I'm like, What? I go what give me the give me the story behind that. He goes, as soon as the election was over in in November of twenty sixteen, ⁓ we have a team of guys that just roll out ⁓ Because we've gotta figure out what the president likes, what the what or you know, what the incoming president likes, what his dislikes are, what his allergies are, what is you know, how does he how does he like what does he drink? ⁓ how cold does he want his diet cokes, you know, does he want the bottle, does he want the can?

And then we gotta go a a a step further, you know, what how does he like his pillows? Does he like him standing up? Does he like him laying down? Does he like what does he have on his nightstand?

We go down to every single detail because we need to make sure that we're the guys. Who makes sure that wherever he goes, it's like his house, ⁓ anywhere in world. ⁓ and they says when we were at Trump Tower, we ⁓ got a hold of his mom's meatloaf recipe because the cause you go in, you find you you get a hold of the chefs, you find out his loves, his hates, his anything, right? And then we gotta take that back and turn that into to, you know, teach everybody how to do this stuff.

So he brings back this handwritten ⁓ Meatloaf recipe. And he says, Okay, who's gonna who's gonna cook this? And ⁓ it was it was our Marine, dude named Sweet Lou. Yeah, Sergeant Lewis, greatest dude, greatest.

I'm not a phenomenal Marine, right? This guy was killer. ⁓ and then so the first meal that he had in the White House President Trump was meatloaf. And then he, I mean, it it blew his mind.

He goes, MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. Was his mom's meatloaf? Jonathan Oringdulph: I cannot believe what I'm eating. He goes, This is my mother's meatlo this tastes exactly like my mom's meatloaf.

We could do no wrong from that point forward in in Presidential Food Service. I mean it was it was it was the perfect, perfect thing. And then we ended up calling it a taste of home. We had it on the me ⁓ the menu down the west wing.

MIchele N DiMeo: Actually, that's that's a good question. Who does the menus? ⁓ does the do they ask so you put the whole menu together. So the president doesn't say, Hey, I want this for lunch, or you don't take orders like in the morning, you know, and say, Hey, what do you want for lunch?

What do you want for dinner? You'd pre-plan the whole meal and just offer menus. Jonathan Oringdulph: the president he has two guys at work up there, ⁓ in the Oval Office. And so if he's gonna eat, ⁓ they will coordinate him what he wants.

⁓ they and sometimes there'll be what's on the menu, he'll be, hey, what can I can I get one of these or can I get can I get that? So those guys take care of him personally. ⁓ we have a what they call an eight cycle menu ⁓ in the in the West Wing. So you're not gonna see the same menu for for another eight weeks ⁓ is how it is how it typically works.

⁓ So ⁓ MIchele N DiMeo: So they rotate they rotate the menus. Jonathan Oringdulph: Yep. And we had two seatings, right? That were you in order to sit and make a reservation, you had to be ⁓ an assistant to the president, a deputy assistant to the president, or a special assistant.

So that means you're kind the top the top leadership tier ⁓ at the White House. But if you worked in the White House, you could have a a mess account and you could go pick up your food order your food, pick it up at the at the window and go back to your desk and eat it. But there's ⁓ a very small, maybe a hundred and maybe a hundred and seventy that had seating privileges ⁓ in the small. So it was it was very few.

⁓ we probably had 800 to a thousand people that that ⁓ could order, but very small percentage could could sit down. And then you know, cabinet secretaries could come in. One time, ⁓ one time I'm I'm feeding the ⁓ HUD secretary in one of our dining rooms and we're doing renovations, right? So we're we just finished the renovation and that's and the ceiling came down on him.

Some ceiling him and his guests. And ⁓ so I'm standing up by the Maider D stand, ⁓ and the Mayor D comes and goes, Sir. And my boss is there too, right? The the ⁓ he was the ⁓ deputy assistant, ⁓ what was he was the ⁓ deputy chief of staff for operations.

And ⁓ and my guy comes up, he goes, Sir, a roof panel just fell on ⁓ Secretary Carson. I'm like, ⁓ man. And then my boss looks to me, Hey, good luck with that, buddy. Tell me how it goes.

So I went in. And I'm like, I'm like, ⁓ man, Mr. ⁓ Secretary Carson, I'm so sorry, sir. We're gonna We'll we'll get this taken care of.

He goes, Nah man, no problem at all. He goes, but it does make me kind of feel like I'm back at HUD. Which is I mean, that's not funny. But yeah.

It was MIchele N DiMeo: It's not funny, but it's funny. At least he had a good sense of humor, right? So you left the how long were you with the White House? Jonathan Oringdulph: Yeah.

fifteen and a half years altogether. So for two years. I'm private sector. And I've worked in a couple of different private sector jobs until I retired.

I retired in twenty twenty twenty three. Yeah, twenty twenty three. And ⁓ I was like, you know what, I'm done, retired. I'm gonna enjoy my t I'm gonna fish in West Virginia because we live in West Virginia.

Well like MIchele N DiMeo: Wow. And then you left service and now you're private sector, right? Uh-huh, how's that going for you, John? 'Cause now you're working again, aren't you?

Jonathan Oringdulph: ⁓ Michelle. You the ⁓ you know you you just think you're you're right where you need to be and the phone rings. ⁓ and a friend of mine from from ⁓ the Beer Institute ⁓ in Washington DC, which is which is a ⁓ trade organization for ⁓ the beer industry in the United States, she goes, We have ⁓ there's a ⁓ World Brewing Alliance that that needs an operations director, ⁓ and it really sounds like the stuff that you've done ⁓ might work. And you see it's a great, it's a She said it's a great dude to work for, and there's just a handful of consultants and then you know members that are that are ⁓ part of the alliance.

It's called the ⁓ the the World Brewing Alliance. ⁓ but she goes, I think it's a good fit because it's finance, budget, ⁓ all of the events. We do a lot of events, ⁓ and ⁓ human resources and administration. I'm like, yeah, I can do that.

So I talked myself into going back to work, and here I am. MIchele N DiMeo: That ⁓ retirement didn't last very long, did it? So, in your role now, I mean, obviously the background that you had from large-scale catering, large-scale food service, I mean, even the the level of expertise and detail that you had to do in the White House and the precision of the service that had to be provided, that had to influence your work. ability today and and what you bring to the table for this world brewing alliance.

So talk through how hospitality and your experience with what you've been through has influenced, you know, your performance and what you're doing today and what you bring to the table. Jonathan Oringdulph: Bet Michelle, and that's a hundred percent right. So ⁓ when I look back on the things that I did ⁓ at ⁓ at the Naval Academy, ⁓ at the White House mess, ⁓ on the ship even, you know, as as as ⁓ the war drum officer, I mean we were in charge of we had to we had to maintain our budget, we had to you know maintain you know accountability of our funds, we had to do ⁓ you know manage you know logistics for for all of these events.

So all of that, all of that experience is just it's it's it's really good to be able to do that here and have that knowledge from from those different jobs to to to make it right. When I when I interviewed for this job, ⁓ the guy called, Justin Kissinger's name, great guy. He ⁓ I said, ⁓ you know, we're we're looking for somebody that can that understands events. So I went through some of my background, he goes, I yeah, yeah, he goes, I'm pretty sure you're our guy.

⁓ and I and I asked him, I said, Justin, what what as the CEO, what keeps you up at night? ⁓ he said, John, I I I I need to know, you know, how what how how we're spending and what my budget looks like and and and all these things. ⁓ and I go, Yeah, I'll help you with that. ⁓ and and so that's really, really been ⁓ a big deal.

We do, you know, various events for folks. We get a conference this coming ⁓ Sept or excuse me, October in in Brussels. We've got we we do a conference every year a couple three days we bring and everybody comes in for it. we do events ⁓ in New York City for for ⁓ for some of our friends that are up there.

We do just a lot of stuff. ⁓ and and it all takes a great deal of attention to detail and and and a lot of of you know help from these wonderful wonderful hospitality ⁓ service folks. that ⁓ you know whether you're whether you're in a you know ⁓ an event venue here or one there, I mean, you know, it's always it's always good people just trying to do a good job and and you know, good people and they're trying to do a good job and they're very, very I I'm appreciative of it. Yeah.

MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. Well, it's it's great that you said that because even in in our world as a restaurateur, we rely on our people because obviously owning restaurants, you can only do so much. You have to rely on your people to bring down your vision and communicate the menu, the items, the level of service to the guest. So it's so important.

You have to really trust your people, hire the best people, teach and empower. Jonathan Oringdulph: Yeah. MIchele N DiMeo: ⁓ so I agree with everything you said and it it is about people and and it's about relationships and it's about experience and it's about detail. So I love all those those points because we talk about that every week on my show.

But we're gonna run out of time and before we do that, I have to do my lightning round questions. These are quick one answer questions to see what you what you think and add a little bit of your own personal flair to these questions. But all right, so you said you worked from 5 a.m.

to 10 p.m. These long events and these long days, are you a coffee drinker or an energy drinker? Jonathan Oringdulph: I can't show you this.

It's ⁓ I'm an energy drink guy. I'm an energy drink guy. Yeah. I'm an energy drink guy, one hundred percent.

I don't drink coffee. But I I can make the best coffee because all of my bosses ⁓ that I've ever had, that's their thing. So but I have energy drink. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah, you can't show me the brands.

Ha ha ha. All right, your favorite meal you ever served in the White House? Jonathan Oringdulph: That was Fat Tuesday. That would be our our Mardi Gras ⁓ menu.

And I it's because I'm a sucker for Louisiana food. I'm just I love it. ⁓ so yeah. Mardi Gras.

We had these we ⁓ we had these homemade beignets that that ⁓ were just they were next level. ⁓ we had gal in fact I've got it framed on my wall. MIchele N DiMeo: All right, what was on the menu? You ha you can't leave us hanging.

Jonathan Oringdulph: They they gave it to me I was when I was leaving the the White House when I was retiring. It was a r retirement gift, is this framed menu of of ⁓ our Fat Tuesday 'cause it was my absolute favorite. Crawfish, ⁓ and then seafood, ⁓ gumbo, jambalaya, all that. I mean it's just level.

Yeah. And the bin yet. MIchele N DiMeo: Wow. Very cool.

All right. Air Force or Navy. We gotta know. Jonathan Oringdulph: All right, so I've got one I've got a son that's a naval officer and I have a son that's that's a ⁓ a staff sergeant in the air force.

I ⁓ but I I love airplanes. Navy, it's navy. Gotta be MIchele N DiMeo: All right. So I gotta tell you this.

So, you know, Dave, he's all army. It was always like bleed, die, speak, army, army, army. And then, of course, you know, my daughter went Navy and he lit his first, and you probably heard him say this. He literally said, All right, I think I'm gonna have to buy something Navy and I'm gonna have to start to root on Navy.

And now it's funny because I'm like, he's a little bit of a hypocrite because he will always like Navy, Navy. And it was always Army, Army, Army. And now he's like, Yeah, Navy. So but I will tell you, he has all the flags at his house of like, you know, all the kids, you know, with the where they went to school and Yeah, for sure.

Jonathan Oringdulph: All day. Sponsor he sponsored midshipment since they started that program. I mean I love ⁓ MIchele N DiMeo: Of course. So I do too.

I have five. We sponsored five over the last few years. So we do as well. What a great program.

Yeah. Jonathan Oringdulph: Wonder. ⁓ yeah. And it means the world to kids.

It does. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah. So ⁓ for everybody listening, you know how to always find me. ⁓ you can DM through Instagram.

We're on LinkedIn, restaurantdiva.com. And John, I have to tell you, this ⁓ the time goes so fast. I mean, I don't even know if you know 40 minutes flew by and you know, we can keep telling all these different stories.

And, you know, I'm so appreciative that you took the time and to come on the show. I wish we could have done it on So in May, ⁓ with all of our restaurants, we did Military Appreciation Month. So I was I reached out to Dave and I said, please, you know, I'd love to interview somebody from the White House or, you know, whatever in the military to talk about food and hospitality. I thought it'd be super cool with commissioning.

And ⁓ so I'm so appreciative that you took the time to come on the show and tell your story. And for everybody listening, it I don't know if you're on social media or if you want to share ⁓ a contact. If anybody wants to reach out and talk to you more, ⁓ I don't know if you can do that. ⁓ but if you wanna share anything.

Jonathan Oringdulph: Well Yeah, so what I can do is I'll send you a ⁓ an email address. I'm happy for for anybody to reach out and to and to chat with me. It's it's pretty easy. It's J Orringdolf, J O R I N G D U L P H at Gmail.

com. Send me a note. I'd love to talk with anybody. Kids, ⁓ kids that are looking to get in the military, kids that are in the military that are looking to do stuff.

doesn't matter. I'm happy to talk to anybody. But yeah, if that's okay. MIchele N DiMeo: That would be that would be so cool.

I mean, I'm sure you're probably an amazing mentor to be able to talk through your experiences, ⁓ you know, the strengths, the weaknesses, what they can look for. Cause like you said in the beginning, you went into this not knowing what to expect. And I'm sure there's so many kids out there that like Clebe Summer, they go in and they have no idea what they're signing up for. And, you know, they always say the first year is the worst because it's the unknown.

⁓ but after that, it's just so rewarding and what you take away is just a a lifetime experience. And you know, success forever. Cause I mean, ⁓ look, just like you, just like Dave, just like my daughter, ⁓ everybody that leaves the military is just has a great lifetime of success and fulfillness. So before we go, you have to just tell me one lesson or one story or what whether it's service, leadership, hospitality, what you want the listeners to take away from today's show.

Jonathan Oringdulph: think that ⁓ the most important thing for me was ⁓ just to love your guys and love your people and you know when you when you lead them and when you're a leader and you love your people they they know it and they and they're and they're and they'll always have your back and that's and that's the one th that's the one takeaway that I wish that that all the officers in the and and senior enlisted leaders and all of those ⁓ great folks d ⁓ do is love your people.

It's it's it's not hard. Great. And and if you do that, everything works out well. MIchele N DiMeo: Yeah.

Yeah, it it's so true. Leadership is so important. ⁓ and you have to lead by example and empower and bring people with you. And ⁓ the more you do that, the more success you have.

And I think as you get older, you learn that quality. You know, when you're younger, you want to do it yourself and you're aggressive. And but as you get older, you realize the better you lead and the better you communicate, the better you empower and motivate, the more people follow and want to be with you. So I love that.

And especially in hospitality and For everybody listening, ⁓ John, thank you so much again. And sorry it's been so long since we connected. And hopefully it won't be on video, it will be face to face in the near future. But for everybody listening, I'm just gonna leave you with whether it's a president, whether it's military, whether it's a a guest in your restaurant, it's about serving others and your commitment to serving others.

And you know, this show was truly about service. ⁓ and the more serve service that you do, whether it's community service, whether it's in a restaurant, ⁓ whatever your road or your path takes you, that's about success and it's commitment to leading and others. And John, ⁓ everything you said, I live by and I couldn't agree more. And thank you so much for being an amazing guest and sharing your stories.

Jonathan Oringdulph: Thank you, Michelle. That's wonderful and thanks for the opportunity. MIchele N DiMeo: Okay, and I will talk to you soon. Thank you so much.

And everybody, that's another episode of Dine and Dish, and we will be back next week. Okay. Hang on just for one sec so we can make sure.