Washington, Sep 24 President Donald Trump is set to host a lavish dinner in honour of Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday, featuring a menu that will be a blend of American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence which will bring out the culinary traditions of both nations.
US First Lady Melania Trump personally led the dinner preparations in the East Room of the White House. China’s First Lady Peng Liyuan and official delegations as well as business leaders will attend the dinner.
The meal begins with a toast of Schramsberg “Blanc De Noir,” honouring 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,” a statement from the Office of the First Lady said.
The first course offers a refined and silky-smooth velouté made of sweet yellow squash.
This course is gently blended to highlight its delicate seasonal flavours of earthy wild mushrooms, sautéed with fresh herbs.
Together, these ingredients create a rich fricassee, complemented by crispy pancetta for a savoury and smoky contrast. A finishing drizzle of scallion oil adds vibrance and a subtle allium brightness to the dish.
The guest list includes Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Google’s Sundar Pichai, Tesla and SpaceX’s Elon Musk, Citigroup’s Jane Fraser, Apple’s Tim Cook, Dell’s Michael Dell, among others.
The second course is prepared delicately with fresh sea bass and coated in toasted sesame seeds. This combination creates a fragrant nutty crust while keeping the fish tender.
The fish is served with crisp baby bok choy and roasted garden eggplant, creating lightly caramelised flavours. The dish is finished with a vibrant sauce verte of fresh herbs, which add brightness, acidity, and a garden character.
The dessert course is a smooth vanilla cremeux with a vibrant sour cherry confit centre, set atop a rich walnut frangipane. The dessert’s fruit-shaped form is complimented by a delicate ice cream made with harvested White House honey.
There will be several performances during the formal dinner, which will be headlined by Christopher Macchio, a classically trained tenor who performed at the 2025 Presidential Inauguration.
The evening’s entertainment will feature performances by military musicians from the US Marine Corps and the US Army, including “The President’s Own” US Marine Band, “The Commandant’s Own” US Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the US Army Chorus, and the US Army Strings.
The decor for the evening is an expression of warmth and celebration and draws on the colour red’s longstanding cultural significance throughout Chinese history.
Urns showcase overflowing red blossoms and tables are dressed in rich red linens and adorned with dahlias and ranunculus.
Among the seasonal blooms, the tables feature vermeil from the White House collection.
The Reagan State Service is featured on the tables. These details blend Chinese artistry and American tradition together, showcased within the timeless elegance of the White House.
Xi arrived here on Wednesday evening for a three-day state visit, the second of the four meetings he is expected to have with Trump this year.
(PTI News)
