Yes, Mario Batali will wear his Crocs to the Obamas' last state dinner

Since the Obamas' final state dinner hosts Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the White House enlisted one of America's favorite Italy obsessives to help: Mario Batali, who will help cook for the first family as the dinner's celebrity guest chef.

At a press preview Monday before the dinner, Batali led a tasting of the evening's first course, sweet potato agnolotti, and previewed his state dinner attire — his orange Crocs.

While they may be kitchen-approved, Batali's fluorescent chef shoes aren't quite black tie attire. But as the chef told the crowd, he will indeed be wearing his signature footwear to the dinner the following evening, joking that he'd keep an eye out for any official wardrobe briefings from the White House team.

Would this make Batali the first person to attend a formal state function in Crocs? It's hard to imagine anyone else pulling off such a flagrant dress code violation.

If Michelle doesn't want Mario wearing kitchen shoes to her final State Dinner, she should speak now or forever hold her peace.