Frank L. White (c. 1867 – February 15, 1938) was a professional chef best known as the model for the fictional breakfast chef (often identified as "Rastus") featured on the boxes of, and advertising for, Cream of Wheat breakfast cereal. A native of Barbados, he immigrated to the U.S. in 1875, where he became a citizen in 1890. He was working as a master chef at a Chicago restaurant at the time he was photographed for the cereal box in 1900.

Frank L. White
White's likeness on a Cream of Wheat box
Born	March 17, 1867 Barbados
Died	(1938-02-15)February 15, 1938

White lived in Leslie, Michigan in his last decades. He died aged about 70 in 1938 and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Leslie. In June 2007, the concrete marker on his grave was replaced with a granite gravestone.[1][2]

In September, 2020, B&G Foods announced that images of the Cream of Wheat chef would be removed from packaging.[3] The food manufacturer announced in June that it was reviewing the packaging after widespread protests against systemic racism pushed several companies to re-evaluate their branding.[4] "While research indicates the image may be based upon an actual Chicago chef named Frank White, it reminds some consumers of earlier depictions they find offensive," B&G Foods said in a statement. "Therefore, we are removing the chef image from all Cream of Wheat packaging."[3]

References

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