US President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at a state dinner in the White House on Thursday (Sept 24), with a three-course menu combining American ingredients and subtle Chinese culinary influences.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to the East Room for the formal dinner, attended by official delegations, business leaders and government officials.
According to details released by the White House, Melania Trump personally led preparations for the dinner, which featured a menu intended to bring together the culinary traditions of both countries.
The evening began with a toast of Schramsberg Blanc De Noir, an American sparkling wine selected to commemorate the historic “Toast to Peace” shared by former US President Richard Nixon and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972.
The White House said the same sparkling wine served during that landmark diplomatic encounter continues to be featured at official functions.
For the first course, guests were served yellow squash velouté accompanied by wild mushroom fricassée, crispy pancetta and scallion oil.
The soup was prepared with sweet yellow squash and complemented by sautéed mushrooms and herbs, with crispy pancetta providing a smoky contrast.
The main course featured sesame-crusted sea bass, served with braised baby bok choy, roasted garden eggplant and sauce verte, a fresh herb-based sauce.
Dessert consisted of vanilla crémeux with a sour cherry confit centre, served on walnut frangipane alongside ice cream made with honey harvested at the White House.
The White House also incorporated elements of Chinese cultural tradition into the evening’s floral arrangements and table settings.
Red was the dominant colour, with tables dressed in rich red linens and decorated with dahlias and ranunculus. The Reagan State Service and vermeil pieces from the White House collection completed the formal setting.
Entertainment was headlined by Christopher Macchio, a classically trained tenor who performed at Trump’s 2025 presidential inauguration.
The programme also featured musicians from the United States Marine Corps and Army, including the US Marine Band, Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, Army Chorus and Army Strings.
The dinner formed part of Xi’s official state visit to Washington, his first White House state visit in more than a decade, with the two leaders holding discussions against a backdrop of ongoing trade and technology tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
