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Presidential state dinner meals have ranged from plain and simple fare to gourmet entrees, often influenced by social and economic factors as much as who was in the executive office. State dinner dishes have included favorite presidential foods such as Harry S. Truman's beloved watermelon pickles, as well as personal creations like Mamie Eisenhower's gelatin mint desserts. What was served at state dinners often reflected the preferences of honored guests or sent a political message to diners about how Americans liked to eat, drink, and be merry.
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Official state dinners at the White House
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in which the sitting president hosts kings, queens, and heads of state from around the world
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are a grand, elegant affair, sometimes. Presidential state dinner meals have ranged from plain and simple fare to gourmet entrees
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often influenced as much by social and economic factors as who was occupying the executive office
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The menus often reflected the preferences of honored guests, or sent a political message to diners
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about how Americans like to eat, drink, and be merry. So today, we're looking at what different US presidents
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have served at state dinners. OK, time to play Hail to the Chef
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Ulysses S. Grant hosted the first official state dinner on December 22, 1874, hosting David Kalakoa
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the last king of Hawaii. But a big fancy shindig wasn't President Grant's idea
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It was actually that of his wife, Julia. Turns out she was sick of his preferences for simple foods
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what he was used to eating in the military. So she hired restaurateur Valentino Mela as White House
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steward to add sophistication to events. This kicked off what became President Grant's official state
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dinners, which according to newspaper columnist Emily Edson Briggs, were multi-course meals that began with fruits
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flours, and sweetmeats, along with bread and butter to accompany the soup in the first course
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Diners then enjoyed a French croquet of meat, followed by the third course of meat and potatoes
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Additional dishes included partridge legs, as well as rice pudding dessert. Diners also imbibed multiple glasses of wine throughout the meal, which is understandable
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We're going to need a few bottles of your finest vintage to wash down all that meat
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Herbert Hoover loved to entertain, although he reportedly had horrible table manners
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Supposedly, he even shared his morning eggs with his dogs. But who hasn't slipped a treat to the dog every once in a while
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They deserve it. Questionable table manners notwithstanding, Hoover didn't like to eat alone
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For formal affairs like state dinners, the president and his wife served multiple courses
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One of these dinners included rare species of fish, cold lobster, beets, cucumbers
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smothered chicken breast, endive and spring salad, fruits, ices, and candy. The menu was offered to the King of Siam in April 1931
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who hopefully wasn't put off by the idea of cold lobster. President Roosevelt once served hot dogs to King George VI
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and Queen Elizabeth of England at his home in New York, which out of context sounds like maybe they were having a sleepover
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and finished the evening playing Sonic the Hedgehog. But the actual reason behind FDR's frugal meal offering is less whimsical
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Remember, he came into office during the Great Depression. When the Roosevelt's moved into the White House
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they adopted a relatively austere diet and cut down on waste to serve as a model to other Americans
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For example, they cut out seafood and even soup if there was a sufficient entree
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There was no fruit course included Sweets and desserts were considered a luxury Entrees were often turkey or chicken dishes in what might be considered a Thanksgiving meal if it weren for the whole Great Depression thing
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Side items included affordable vegetables such as lima beans and rutabagas. You know, the stuff your parents had to trick you into eating
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On one occasion, the White House served marshmallow-covered sweet potato casserole, which must have been the result of considerable negotiation
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with the penny-pinching president. According to surviving menus, Diners enjoyed wine or sherry, although Cubist Vigensio Batista was treated to a whiskey sour in 1942
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The White House, they keep track of everything. When President Harry S. Truman hosted guests at formal meals, he was known to serve watermelon pickles and strawberry shortcake
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And fritos. Yeah, you heard that right. Though the fritos were part of lunch, the snack demonstrated President Truman's simple taste in food
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Other items on the menu when Princess Elizabeth visited in 1951 included baked ham and fried potatoes
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because a princess can't just live off corn chips alone. Like many of his predecessors, President Eisenhower was a fan of simpler foods
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Unlike many of his predecessors, Ike loved to cook them himself. When the president hosted the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of Mexico in 1955
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his green turtle soup was on the menu. Apparently, Eisenhower was moonlighting as a member of the Foot Clan
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His taste did expand over the years, though. When the president hosted King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece in 1955
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the menu showed a growing sophistication while maintaining some personal charm, featuring items like shrimp cocktail and roasted lamb alongside Boston brown bread sandwiches
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toasted triscuits, and saltine crackers. The president of the United States munching on saltine crackers with the king of Greece
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That should make you feel better about the hors d'oeuvres at your next party. The Kennedys, along with their chef René Verdun, changed the game a little bit
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When the Kennedys entertained, dinners were shorter and included only four courses
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Oh my, four. How scandalous. This was done to leave more time for socializing, cigar breaks for the men, and coffee drinking for the women
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Meals included French-inspired and French-named foods like tournée d'eau et Louise, steak in black truffle sauce, and roast sirloin verte frais, steak with greens and straw potatoes
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President John F. Kennedy was also known for serving the first American wine at a state dinner
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One of President Kennedy's most celebrated state dinners took place at Mount Vernon on July 11
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1961. The president served a meal of whipped avocado and crab meat mimosa
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poulet chaussure, hunter-style chicken, and raspberries with whipped cream brought from the White House kitchen for the president of Pakistan. Eh, no jelly donuts. That's weird
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Chef Verdun stayed in the White House when Lyndon B. Johnson became president
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but not for too long. Apparently, President Johnson's food tastes were beneath him
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LBJ palate tended towards simpler down meals which really wasn Verdun thing The chef wasn shy about letting the president know it either especially after President Johnson hosted the West German Chancellor for a barbecue at his ranch in Texas
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After the Johnsons served beans, spare ribs, coleslaw, and beer, Verdun made a point of stating that no such food would appear at the White House
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saying, You do not serve barbecued spare ribs at a banquet with the ladies in white gloves
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Well, maybe you don't, Frenchie. Richard Nixon's state dinners were much more sophisticated than LBJ's
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At a dinner hosted by the Nixons on April 25, 1972, the menu included imperial crab
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roasted sirloin, and stuffed zucchini. That's a pretty fancy spread, but it's nothing compared to some of his other menus
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Nixon hosted more than 40 state dinners, in which he served lobster en belle vue
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stuffed chilled lobster, contrefilé of beef bordelais, steak and wine sauce, paillettes dorée, cheese sticks
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pomme aux amandes, apples with almond cream, eggplant and green beans, pour salut cheese
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and vacheron glacé au framboise, raspberry ice cream for dessert. Maybe instead of, I'm not a crook, he meant to say
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I brought a cook. Talk to tell with his voice. President Jimmy Carter was particularly thoughtful
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when it came to his meals. His state dinners were as significant for their politics
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as for the food, with significant treaties involving the Panama C and Egyptian-Israeli policies
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being hashed out alongside the meals. The Carter state dinners were served along the same pattern
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as other presidents, light courses supplemented with heavier entrees followed by desserts
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And what was the biggest state dinner ever held? With more than 1,300 guests, the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty
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Dinner on March 26, 1979, diners enjoyed Columbia River salmon, cheese straws, roast sirloin with spring vegetables, and hazelnut mousse with pettifours
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When you want a broker piece, don't forget the cheese straws. Ronald Reagan had some great parties during his time as president, which makes sense. He was an
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actor. Images of John Travolta dancing with Princess Diana of Wales at the White House is
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just one example of Hollywood in Washington, D.C. coming together under the president
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although that particular shindig wasn't technically a state dinner. Nancy Reagan was heavily involved in the planning that went into these dinners
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overseeing menus and making sure no mistakes were made. Nancy also managed the introduction of lighter foods to the traditional state dinner fare
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Items like pita bread and more salads contrasted with heavier French food
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that had characterized the previous administrations. The Reagans also served California wines, something that reflected their roots
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Pita bread and wine from Napa Valley? Turns out you can take the actor out of Hollywood
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but you can't take Hollywood out of the actor. Not even old Ronnie Reagan
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When people think of George H.W. Bush and state dinners, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the infamous reception
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thrown in his honor in Japan in 1992, during which he vomited in the lap of the Japanese prime minister Hmm wonder if it was something he ate But President Bush and his wife Barbara did try to have a nice party when they hosted their own dinners blending tradition and innovation by adding new items to the menu
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much like the Reagans had done, while staying true to the meal template. When Queen Elizabeth II of England visited the United States in 1991
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she was served lobster, cucumber mousse, vegetables, and elaborate desserts made by executive pastry chef Roland Mesnier
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including a raspberry-filled chocolate carriage similar to a souffle the chef had prepared for
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the royal family of Denmark a few months earlier. By all accounts, the queen kept the meal down
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George W. Bush didn't really enjoy White House food. He wasn't really a fan of fancy dinners
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dancing, or staying up late, so he could only stomach about a dozen state dinners the entire
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time he was in office. And when he did find himself having to throw a state dinner, he kept
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it simple. When he hosted the President of the Republic of Ghana on September 15, 2008
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they served lobster, corn pudding, lamb, potatoes, spinach and beets, and banana coconut pudding for
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dessert. What W's Kitchen lacked in fussiness, it more than made up for in quantity. The final
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state dinner of the Bush administration, served to the President of Poland and his wife, was a bit
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more elaborate. The menu included items like lemon basil seared striped bass, roasted golden tomato
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sauce, barbecue shalat sauce, crispy potato tartine, and ginger almond ice cream, to name a few dishes
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Michelle Obama was very concerned about rising childhood obesity in America, which led to the Obamas hosting the first
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of several kids' state dinners in 2012. The event brought together chefs and children
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for a food summit of sorts, featuring recipes created by kids, all to highlight the importance of healthy eating
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Although you know some of those kids had to have snuck in some chicken nuggets, right? The only thing kids care less about than eating healthy is math
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The Obamas loosened it up a bit when it came to feeding adults, though. The Obama White House incorporated
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many of the traditional foods of their guests into state dinners, serving a mix of American and Nordic fare
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to the prime ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and the president of Finland in 2016
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Foods included dishes like canapes of chicken and waffles, served alongside Aquavit seafood cocktail
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salt-cured ahi tuna with watermelon, juniper, and pickled radish, as well as red wine-braised short ribs
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with hot kale salad and thyme dumplings. When President Barack Obama and Michelle
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hosted the President of Mexico in 2010, the visiting head of state was served a mixture of Hawaiian
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Mexican, and American items, none of which were ever featured at a state dinner again
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Apparently, it wasn't quite healthy enough. Or tasty enough. It turns out Donald Trump didn't only serve platters of fast food to White House guests
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He held his first state dinner in April 2018, hosting the president of France and his wife
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The elaborate menu featured items from parts of the United States with heavy French influence
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Diners enjoyed goat cheese gâteau with tomato jam, buttermilk biscuits, rack of lamb, Carolina gold rice jambalaya, and a nectarine tart with ice cream
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That sounds like a hugely tasty meal
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