Would You Try Gerald R Ford’s Unhinged ‘Michigan’ Lunch?

As someone from Grand Rapids, I have nothing but respect for President Gerald R. Ford. He was a proud Michigander, a steady leader, and someone who represented our hometown with dignity. But can we talk about his lunch habits for a second?

Specifically, the daily concoction he called “gourmet Michigan cuisine”? Because, as someone who lives here, I need to set the record straight: this is not, nor has it ever been, a staple of Michigan dining. In fact if someone said this to me, I'd consider it fighting words.

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Every day, Ford reportedly ate a “ball of cottage cheese, over which he poured a small pitcherful of A-1 Sauce, a sliced onion or a quartered tomato, and a small helping of butter-pecan ice cream.” Yes, you read that right. Cottage cheese, drowning in steak sauce, garnished with raw onion or tomato. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never walked into a Grand Rapids restaurant and seen that on the menu.

Calling this “gourmet Michigan cuisine” is a bit of a stretch. Pot roast? Sure. A pasty? Absolutely. Even a steaming bowl of chili would feel more on-brand. But Ford’s concoction? That sounds more like something you’d dare your friend to eat during a sleepover.

Someone on tiktok tried it, and it went as well as you'd imagine:

To be fair, Ford’s no-frills nature was part of his charm, and his lunch probably reflected that. But as someone who loves our local food scene—I have to draw the line. We deserve better than basically a pile of condiments for lunch (And so did the late president, too.)

Let’s all agree that Ford was a great president and an even greater representative of Grand Rapids. But his lunch habits? Let’s just call them “unique” and leave it at that. Oh, and if you ever find a local restaurant serving this “gourmet Michigan cuisine,” let me know. I’ll believe it when I see it.