HARRISBURG Governor well-known for big appetite

The governor has two chefs with a combined yearly salary of $80,086.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Gov. Ed Rendell's appetite has a reputation all its own.
During the Democrat's first 11 months in office, food and catering bills totaled $75,918 -- an average of $230 a day for the governor and his wife, Marjorie O. Rendell, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported in Sunday's edition.
Records show that Rendell's office bought about 500 pounds of cold cuts and cheese in the first 11 months. Other bills include $7,752 on produce from Egenrieder's, a Harrisburg market; $1,067 on fresh herbs and flowers from Creekside Nursery in Marysville; and $875 on bottled water.
Rendell's press secretary, Kate Philips, said the bills covers meetings and state dinners held at the governor's 32-room Georgian mansion overlooking the Susquehanna River. Rendell has two chefs, hired under former Gov. Mark Schweiker, with a combined salary of $80,086 a year.
"In past administrations, there was always a live-in staff. This governor sends his staff home every night. If he wants a snack in the middle of the night, he gets up and gets it," Philips said.
Still, Ohio budgets only for a part-time chef and $14,000 annually for food.
Loves food
Rendell is known for his fondness of food. In a recent contest for a state slogan, one entry quipped, "Our governor can out-eat your governor." And when Rendell visited Punxsutawney, a Harrisburg gadfly had a bumper sticker with this appeal: "Please Governor Rendell, DON'T EAT THE GROUNDHOG."
Larry Ceisler, a Philadelphia political consultant, said Rendell's not shy about eating. "I don't think Ed has ever seen a bad hors d'oeuvre," he said.
When he dines out, he usually heads for Da Pits Chicago Grill.
"He loves our wings. He tells me he won't eat wings anywhere else because ours are grilled, not fried, and because he likes them the most. He likes our sweet and tangy barbecue sauce," co-owner Jim Stubbs said.
Rendell billed taxpayers $74.75 for takeout from Da Pits for an April 29 meeting. He also tapped the restaurant June 11 and sent his campaign the $600 bill.
How others see it
State Sen. Allen Kukovich, who chairs the Democratic State Committee, said he doesn't worry about the food tab at the mansion. Philadelphia Councilman Jim Kenney said Rendell's image is an asset.
"It humanizes him. People can identify with him because they struggle with their weight sometimes," Kenney said. "He just enjoys life, and food for him is one way to enjoy it."
Other people who know Rendell said his appetite for food reflects his propensity for politics.
"He is one of those people who has an appetite for everything in super-sized portions -- not just food," said Anthony May, a former top aide to the late Gov. Robert Casey.
May said the governor's initial legislative agenda was "too much for the average legislator to swallow."