They say the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach.
The age-old wisdom is one that diplomats and political leaders are well aware of when wining and dining their esteemed guests. A no-holds-barred lavish spread can go some way to lubricating spiky bilateral relations or softening a political blow — as France’s Elysée Palace knows all too well.
However, the art of diplomatic dining is no piece of cake, particularly when catering for international palates.
For your indulgence, POLITICO has rounded up the top six times that a state offering has resulted in a diplomatic incident.
Russian salad at NATO summit
At the 2022 NATO summit in Madrid — taking place in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — one dish on the menu caused a stir.
For lunch, the Spaniards served Ensaladilla russa, or “Russian salad.”
The dish, consisting of cold potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, peas, carrots and mayonnaise is a staple found across Spain, as well as in Eastern Europe, in different variations.
Given the summit’s key agenda item — reiterating the defense alliance’s support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression — the choice raised some eyebrows.
Regardless, the dish reportedly sold out in a matter of hours, and was next day listed on the menu as a “traditional salad.”
Many restaurants across Spain have since renamed the dish as a gesture of solidarity with Ukraine.
British food doesn’t do it for Jacques Chirac
Former French President Jacques Chirac has made his distaste for British gastronomy clear.
“You can’t trust people who cook as badly as that. After Finland, it’s the country with the worst food,” Chirac said at a meeting in Russia in 2005, adding that the only thing the British have ever given European agriculture is mad cow disease.
However, during a Franco-British summit in 2019, Chirac had apparently softened his stance.
“English cuisine: At first, you think it’s crap, and then you regret that it’s not,” he said during a dinner where Tony Blair was praising British delicacies.
The Finns bite back
While the Finnish can get a bad rep for their food, they clearly have a sense of humor about it.
After former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi insulted Finnish cuisine by saying Finns “only eat smoked reindeer,” Finnish pizza chain Kotipizza created a “Berlusconi pizza” topped with red onions, mushrooms and … smoked reindeer.
The Berlusconi pizza went on to beat the Italians’ own offering at an international pizza contest in New York.
The sweet revenge came in the wake of a long-running battle on where the European Food Safety Authority headquarters would be located, culminating in a stalemate between Finland and Italy, and finally gaining a permanent home in Italy’s Parma.
Berlusconi pizza — since renamed to poro (which means “reindeer” in Finnish) — is a popular mainstay of the chain to this day.
George Bush and the raw fish
Ever felt queasy at the worst possible time? Former American president George H.W. Bush has.
In 1992, Bush fainted and vomited on the lap of Japanese former Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa between the second and third course of state dinner at the prime ministerial residence, with 135 diplomats present.
“Just roll me under the table until the dinner’s over,” Bush told his physician, who was present.
The Japanese were quick with coining a new slang word, “bushusuru,” which means “to do the Bush thing,” or throw up.
François Hollande and his wine
Former French President François Hollande, an informed wine enthusiast, scrapped a planned lunch with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Paris in 2016 after the latter requested no wine at the table.
The Iranian officials insisted on halal meat and a wine-free meal as per religious customs in Iran, where alcohol is banned.
However, wine is a mainstay of French culture, and the French officials refused to budge.
The Elysée had suggested an alcohol-free breakfast instead, which Iran refused as being “too cheap.”
Brazil’s president Lula left unsated
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized the quality and size of the portions he was last year served on visits to two of the world’s global culinary capitals: Paris and Rome.
Lula said he doesn’t enjoy food at official state dinners because “everything is tiny and restricted,” according to Brazilian outlet O Globo.
“There isn’t a big tray for you to choose and get what you want. It’s that little bit that you eat,” said Lula. “I honestly can’t get used to this. I need quantity. It may be gluttony on my part, but I like quantity.”
