&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "What’s on the menu? Inside Trump’s lavish White House state dinner for Xi")
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are set to host Chinese President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan for a lavish state dinner in the East Room of the White House on Thursday (Sep 24). According to the Office of the First Lady, the preparations for the dinner were led by the First Lady. The statement added that the black-tie gathering will be attended by official delegations, business leaders and government officials.
The state dinner comes as Trump hosts Xi in Washington for bilateral talks, during which the two leaders are expected to discuss trade, security, AI, war in the Middle East and Taiwan. Welcoming Xi, Trump said that the US and China have a relationship built on “mutual respect” and the two nations “forged a truly great friendship”. Meanwhile, the Chinese president called for deeper communication and cooperation with the United States, warning that growing rivalry between the two powers must not slide into military confrontation.
What’s on the state dinner menu?
According to the official statement, the state dinner’s menu showcases “American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence, bringing the culinary traditions of both nations together.” The dinner will begin with a toast of Schramsberg “Blanc De Noir,” which is a reference to the “Toast to Peace” shared by President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972.
In the first course, yellow squash velouté will be served. The dish contains a blend of earthy flavours of wild mushrooms sautéed with fresh herbs. It also features crispy pancetta for a savoury and smoky contrast, along with a drizzle of scallion oil.
The guests will be served sesame crusted sea bass in the second course. It will be served with crisp baby bok choy, roasted garden eggplant and sauce verte of fresh herbs.
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The dinner will conclude with vanilla crémeux with sour cherry confit and walnut frangipane. The dessert will also include ice cream prepared with honey harvested at the White House. The First Lady unveiled a new beehive on the property’s grounds in April.
Performances and décor
During the formal dinner, Christopher Macchio will deliver several performances. Macchio is a classically trained tenor who performed at the 2025 Presidential Inauguration. There will also be performances by military musicians from the United States Marines Corps and the United States Army during the evening.
The White House evening décor blends Chinese and American traditions, with red blossoms, rich red linens, dahlias, ranunculus, and White House collection vermeil adorning the tables.
