US president Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at a state dinner in the White House’s East Room on Thursday.
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The dinner, held as part of Xi’s highly anticipated US visit, was prepared under Melania Trump’s direction, according to the Office of the First Lady.
The menu for the dinner featured fish, fresh vegetables among other things with “American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence."
“The meal begins with a toast of Schramsberg ‘Blanc De Noir,’ honoring the historic ‘Toast to Peace’ shared by President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972. The same American sparkling wine served at that historic gathering continues to be enjoyed at White House functions today,” the White House said.
The state dinner menu featured a mix of French-inspired and Asian-influenced dishes. The first course included yellow squash velouté and wild mushroom fricassée with crispy pancetta and scallion oil, followed by sesame-crusted sea bass with braised baby bok choy, roasted eggplant and sauce vert.
Dessert featured vanilla crémeux with a sour cherry confit centre, served on walnut frangipane with White House Honey ice cream.
The menu offered a departure from Trump’s reported preference for red meat and hearty salads such as Cobb or Caesar. During his March visit to Beijing, Chinese hosts similarly accommodated his tastes while incorporating local flavours, serving dishes including crispy beef ribs, roast duck, lobster in tomato soup, seasonal vegetables, salmon in mustard sauce and pan-fried pork buns, followed by tiramisu.
Before the dinner, Trump and Xi exchanged warm remarks, highlighting the importance of ties between the two countries and expressing hopes for a more stable relationship. The state dinner in the White House’s East Room brought together more than 130 invited guests, including senior US officials, business leaders and executives from some of America’s leading technology companies.
In his remarks, Trump acknowledged the differences between the US and Chinese political systems while stressing the enduring ties between the two peoples. The guest list featured several prominent American technology executives, while Chinese business leaders were notably absent, despite discussions between US and Chinese planners about including executives from several major Chinese companies.
