Barack Obama Says This Condiment Doesn't Belong On Hot Dogs

There are a few things Chicagoans will defend to the death: da Bears, deep-dish pizza, and, for most of the city, the reputation of the White Sox. But if there's one thing anyone who has spent any significant amount of time in Chicago absolutely will not tolerate, it's putting ketchup on the beloved Chicago-style hot dog. One of the most adamant adherents to that rule is former president Barack Obama, who adopted the city as his home in 1985 and remained there until he was elected president in 2008. The only time it's acceptable, he told Anthony Bourdain on an episode of "Parts Unknown," is if you are under "the age of eight" (per YouTube).

Many say the sanctity of the ingredients and preparation is why President Obama and his fellow Chicagoans have a beef with ketchup, as it violates the specific components that make the dish unique to the Windy City. This beloved regional style of hot dog must be made with nine specific components, prepared in a particular way, and in the right order. The assemblage starts with a steamed poppy seed bun and a boiled or steamed all-beef frankfurter topped with mustard, sweet pickle relish, onions, tomatoes, pickled sport peppers, and a sprinkling of celery salt. Any deviation from the standard recipe — especially the addition of ketchup — disqualifies it as a Chicago-style dog.

Former President Obama, it seems, isn't just against putting ketchup on hot dogs but against ketchup in general, reinforcing his belief that age eight is the cut-off limit. "I might be a little too draconian in my attitude," the two-time Illinois state senator said on "IMO," the podcast his wife Michelle Obama hosts with her brother Craig Robinson (per YouTube). When Robinson responded by saying, "It sounds like you're saying ketchup is childish," President Obama replied, "At a certain point ... you gotta kinda outgrow it." Michelle and her brother clearly disagreed, with the former First Lady adding that no one else in the family shares her husband's disdain. "No one's following his lead," she said.

Even if President Obama remains an outlier in his own family, there are plenty of others who agree. Some chefs don't think ketchup belongs on hamburgers either, although Jacques Pépin uses the controversial condiment often. Even if you're a ketchup defender, however, putting it on a hot dog is about as welcome in Chicago as a Green Bay Packers fan.