Tomato soup, ribs and white chocolate: The latest state dinner at the White House

The White House kitchen has been frenetic in recent days. On May 23, there was a state dinner, the most extravagant diplomatic reception that the U.S. presidential residence offers on rare occasions to foreign leaders it deems worthy of a special tribute. In this case, President Joe Biden hosted key African ally, Kenyan President William Ruto, at a dinner for 500, with guests including former president Barack Obama and actor Sean Penn. All the details, from the menu to the cutlery and floral arrangements, had been prepared over a period of six months.

In a capital city like Washington D.C., whose inhabitants live, breathe (and dream) politics, a state dinner is the ultimate event. Hundreds of carefully selected guests, including the crème de la crème of the legislative and business world, diplomats and heavyweights on the U.S. cultural scene mingle. It is an event that is part spectacle and part high politics, in which every detail — be it the table linens, the music or the dessert — is calculated down to the millimeter depending on the message to be transmitted. According to the White House Historical Association, this type of banquet represents a display of “global influence and power and sets the tone for continued dialogue between the President and the visiting head of state.”

Last year, the dinner in honor of the incumbent Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was entirely vegetarian, except for a sea bass dish for those who expressly requested it. This was out of respect for Modi’s beliefs. In 2022, the banquet in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron had a white, red and blue color scheme to reflect the shared colors of the U.S. and French flags. No expense is spared: according to data from the Barack Obama era, each of these banquets can exceed $500,000.

This, the sixth state dinner hosted by First Lady Jill Biden, was held in a pavilion on the White House lawns constructed almost entirely of glass, and flooded with the bright vermilion, warm crimson, elegant scarlet and generous maroon of African orchids and American roses, intertwined to underscore the friendship between the two nations. “While outside night surrounds us, inside, guests will be brought together under the glow of candles,” explained President Joe Biden’s wife, as she presented the details of the banquet to the press. The idea was to recreate a toast, physical and spiritual, to a “bright and prosperous tomorrow” between the two nations, which this year celebrate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

Lighting played a key role in creating an “intimate atmosphere, allowing guests to feel welcome and at home in the White House,” the presidential office noted. More than 1,000 candles had been placed around the walls of the pavilion; their brightness was reflected in 15,000 metallic strips suspended in layers under the ceiling to flood the enclosure with beams of golden and silver light, a “symbol of the joy of the celebration,” according to the social secretary of the presidential residence, Carlos Elizondo. “It’s something that reflects the first lady’s love for candles. Her way of making guests feel at home, even if they are part of a large group of people,” he added. A large fuchsia carpet and lavender table linens, with floral motifs and adorned with sequins, completed the explosion of color and festive feel.

The evening’s music was also a nod to the combined tastes of the host and his guest of honor: the gospel of the Howard University Choir in Washington, one of the historic universities for African-American students, and country music from Brad Paisley, winner of three Grammys and performer of 25 number ones in more than 20 years of career. They were joined by the Marine Corps Chamber Orchestra.

But the highlight of the occasion was the menu. White House head chef Cristeta Comerford, the first woman and the first person of Asian origin in the position, had spent six months planning and testing to get the best fit for the night. It is a methodical and complicated process: as the chef has explained on several occasions, one has to take into account not only one’s own inspiration, but also the tastes of the guests of honor, the traditions of the countries being honored, and the possible dietary restrictions of diners.

The result departed from previous occasions, when the ingredients and the preparation of the dishes were a clear nod to the culinary traditions of the guest. This time, there was nothing that could be equated to the deconstructed sushi that caused a sensation at the previous state dinner in honor of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last April. Instead, Comerford opted for a decidedly American menu. It was, in effect, a tribute to the beginning of summer, to heat and warmth, as she herself explained in the presentation of her creations.

The first dish was a cold green tomato soup, with marinated onions and cucumber marinated in white balsamic vinegar. This was accompanied by sourdough crisps while California arbequina olive oil provided the perfect complement.

As in previous state dinners, veal was once again the highlight of the main course with the veal ribs marinated first and then gently smoked in fruitwood, accompanied by lobster poached in butter and dressed with citrus-scented butter, combining “the best of both worlds,” as the chef pointed out. All this on a bed of sweet corn puree, kale, roasted turnips, squash and roasted sweet potatoes.

Prepared by the White House’s dessert specialist Susie Morrison, the final course was a white chocolate basket with banana ganache, raspberries, peaches and candied lime zest. The presentation was crowned with a white chocolate medallion with the American and Kenyan flags, and decorated with violets and orange.

As has become customary, the wine was American: a 2021 Chardonnay, a 2019 Pinot Noir and a 2020 Brut.

“As guests leave, our path illuminated by our one Moon, I hope they will be filled with the same warmth that I felt on my visits to Kenya,” said Jill Biden. The president reiterated messages of friendship and unity. “We share a strong respect for the history that connects us together… we do not share borders but share beliefs. We share a belief in freedom, democracy, dignity and equality,” he said in his toast at the dinner.

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