Xi-Trump summit: Nod to historic ‘peace toast’, seabass and a lot of Chinese influence, what's on state dinner menu?

Xi-Trump state dinner will be held in the East Room of the White House this evening. The black-tie event will see attendance from Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg among other official delegations, business leaders and government officials.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are at the White House for his highly anticipated state visit. Xi is visiting with the First Lady of China, Peng Liyuan. The White House has now announced the menu for Xi-Trump’s state dinner. It will also be attended by the official delegations as well as business leaders and government officials.

State dinner for Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will be hosting Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan in the East Room of the White House this evening.

Preparations for the dinner were led by Melania Trump.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

The state dinner menu includes a sweet yellow squash velouté, sea bass with a toasted sesame crust, and a fruit-shaped dessert with vanilla crémeux.

The state dinner signifies a diplomatic gesture aimed at improving relations between the US and China, echoing the historic 'Toast to Peace' from Nixon's visit in 1972.

The decor draws on the color red, which holds longstanding cultural significance in Chinese history, reflecting the importance of the occasion.

Yes, several performances, including musical acts by military musicians and tenor Christopher Macchio, are scheduled to entertain the guests during the dinner.

The welcome ceremony includes a red carpet greeting by Trump and Melania, military honors, a gift exchange, and an inspection of troops.

The dinner menu is said to highlight American ingredients with a hint of Chinese influence, blending the culinary traditions of both worlds.

Nod to 'Toast to Peace'

The meal is said to begin by honouring the historic “Toast to Peace” shared by President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing in 1972. The guests will be served Schramsberg Blanc De Noir sparkling wine after a toast.

American-Chinese food menu

The first course of the state dinner will include a sweet yellow squash velouté, complemented by wild mushroom fricassée, crispy smoky pancetta, and scallion oil, the White House said.

“The first course offers a refined and silky-smooth velouté made of sweet yellow squash. This course is gently blended to highlight its delicate seasonal flavours of earthy wild mushrooms, sautéed with fresh herbs. Together, these ingredients create a rich fricassee, complemented by crispy pancetta for a savoury and smoky contrast. A finishing drizzle of scallion oil adds vibrance and a subtle allium brightness to the dish,” the White House described the dish.

For the second course, the guests will be served sea bass with a toasted sesame crust alongside braised baby bok choy, roasted garden eggplant, and sauce verte.

The final course of the night, a fruit-shaped dessert composed of vanilla crémeux with a sour cherry confit centre over walnut frangipane, will be served alongside ice cream made using White House honey.

Entertainment

The dinner will also see several performances which will be headlined by Christopher Macchio, a classically trained tenor who performed at the 2025 Presidential Inauguration.

Military musicians from the United States Marines Corps and the United States Army, including “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, “The Commandant’s Own” United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the United States Army Chorus, and the United States Army Strings, are also set to perform.

Decor, guests and more

It is going to be a black-tie event. The decor of the event “draws on the colour red’s longstanding cultural significance throughout Chinese history,” as per the White House.

The guest list includes Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg among others.

Trump had said that his planned White House ballroom was not ready for the state dinner to host Xi on Thursday evening.

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.

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