The British envoy has come for
Our refreshment after night before…
The Tale of Soldier Fedot,
The Daring Fellow by Leonid A. Filatov
(Translated by Alec Vagapov)
Preobrazhensky: If you care about your digestion, my advice is –
don’t talk about bolshevism or medicine at the table.
And, God forbid – never read Soviet newspapers before dinner.
Bormenthal: M’mm… But there are no other newspapers.
Preobrazhensky: In that case don’t read any at all…
Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov
Good day, dear Take in Mind readers! Have you already had lunch? If not, please have a quick “chat” with the refrigerator before reading today’s article. Otherwise, we are not responsible for your salivary glands and gastric juice! OK, are you ready? Let’s start.
Today we talk about gastronomic (culinary) diplomacy. Contrary to the opinion of Professor Preobrazhensky, a tasty cuisine combined with a well-served table is a centuries-proven way to influence the mood of politicians, diplomats, and business people. There are many historical examples, and a few of them will be presented immediately.
Let’s start with the unofficial founder or at least the most famous genius of gastro-diplomacy – Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord. A well-known historical anecdote reminds his letter to Louis XVIII before the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815): “Sire, I need casseroles more than written instructions.” Talleyrand, assisted by the famous chef Marie-Antoine Carème led the “political wooing” of European leaders for more than seven months. As a result, he succeeded in achieving relatively favorable conditions for defeated France…
Let’s stay in Europe for a bit more. The seventies of the last century; A curious, if somewhat poignant, story about a banquet hosted by the Vice (then) President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, for the then-French Prime Minister, Jacques Chirac. Hussein brought the most skillful Baghdad chefs to Paris to prepare the famous masgouf fried fish according to traditional recipes. This banquet is believed to significantly strengthen the cultural, political, and economic relations between the two countries and brought Baghdad and Paris a new level of cooperation. Probably (not proven, but…), the “echoes” of that feast were: (a) France’s assistance in the construction of the Tammuz reactor and (b) military assistance during the war with Iran (1980-1988).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF0B5PeFRgU
Now, let’s move to 2018: Inter-Korean Summit, the meeting of North Korean state chairman Kim Jong-un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in. The menu of the banquet includes, among other goodies, the traditional sunfish dish (as a nostalgic reminder to Moon about his childhood in the city of Busan), as well as rösti, a traditional Swiss potato dish, for Kim Jong-un, who is believed to spent the school years in Switzerland). As the main drink, the negotiators were offered Munbaeju wild pear liquor, considered to be invented in Pyongyang but is now widespread also in South Korea. If I understand correctly, the idea was that Koreas’ leaders “shed” nostalgic tears, get emotional and kind, and agree on something good for the entire Korean Peninsula…
However, there are also unsuccessful examples (or, maybe, very subtle “traps”). When former US President Barack Obama hosted his French colleague Francois Hollande, sturgeon caviar was among the dishes included in the banquet menu at the White House. There is nothing unexpected in this unique and expensive delicacy for the highest diplomatic reception. However, for Hollande, this was a kind of political provocation – a public eating of caviar could significantly spoil the image of a socialist president and anger voters in France.
An exotic incident happened in 1985 during a visit by Elizabeth II to Belize. One of the dishes served to the guests was grilled gibnuts (the local name for large Paca rodents). By Belizean standards, gibnuts are an extraordinary delicacy. The queen tasted the meat and complimented the chef diplomatically. But the undiplomatic British press reported that the highest guests were fed with “rats.” In turn, the Belizeans called them insensitive racists.
Dear readers! Summing up the above, I hope you understand that negotiations are conducted much better, not at the negotiating room but at the dinner table! Everyone loves to eat something delicious, no matter what the diet! So, maybe this is the right time for our wise politicians and diplomats to take advantage of the historically proven experience of their colleagues and use eno-gastro-diplomacy.
Featured image: President Richard Nixon using chopsticks during a banquet with Premier Chou En-lai (Zhou Enlai) of the People’s Republic of China, 2/26/1972.
Series: Nixon White House Photographs, 1/20/1969 – 8/9/1974
Collection: White House Photo Office Collection (Nixon Administration), 1/20/1969 – 8/9/1974
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