Melania Trump has overseen every detail of the state dinner honoring Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, from the wine to the flowers to the seating arrangements. The menu, revealed ahead of Thursday night’s event in the East Room of the White House, blends American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence — a choice that reflects both the occasion and the woman behind it.
The meal opens with a toast of Schramsberg ‘Blanc De Noir,’ the same American sparkling wine served at the 1972 Toast to Peace between President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing. That toast has become a tradition at White House functions ever since.
Course by Course
The first course sets the tone with yellow squash velouté and wild mushroom fricassée, served with crispy pancetta and scallion oil. The combination pairs a creamy vegetable base with earthy mushrooms and the savory crunch of pancetta, a dish that leans on American produce while nodding to Chinese flavors through the scallion oil.
The main course follows with sesame-crusted sea bass served with braised baby bok choy and roasted eggplant, finished with sauce vert. The sea bass is a delicate protein, the bok choy adds a Chinese vegetable staple, and the eggplant brings a soft texture. The sauce vert ties the dish together with a green herb finish.
Dessert closes the meal with vanilla crémeux topped with a sour cherry confit center on a walnut frangiapane, served with White House Honey ice cream on the side. The crémeux is a smooth, rich pudding, and the cherry confit provides a sharp contrast.
Melania’s Hand
Melania Trump told Fox & Friends Wednesday morning that she was involved in “every detail” of the dinner planning. Her office described the meal as “American ingredients with subtle Chinese influence,” a phrase that captures the approach she took throughout the event.
She cited protocol requirements as part of the planning process. But the protocol went beyond formality. Melania personally oversaw all preparations, including choosing the Reagan China to dine on and selecting red blossom urns, red linens, dahlias and ranunculus for the decor.
Christopher Macchio, a tenor who sang at the 2025 Presidential Inauguration, will perform for the guests. His presence adds a musical element to the evening, though no details on the performance were released.
The dinner also includes a guest list that reads like a who’s who of American business. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, NVIDIA President Jensen Huang, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser and Apple’s Tim Cook are all expected to attend. Many of those executives accompanied Trump to China earlier this year, giving the dinner a blend of political and corporate power.
| Course | Item | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|
| First | Yellow squash velouté, wild mushroom fricassée | Creamy, savory |
| Main | Sesame-crusted sea bass | Crispy, herbal |
| Dessert | Vanilla crémeux with cherry confit | Rich, sweet |
The China Comparison
The meal stands in contrast to Trump’s previous visit to Beijing, where the Chinese menu included Crispy beef ribs, roast duck, lobster in tomato soup, stewed seasonal vegetables, slow-cooked salmon in mustard sauce, and pan-fried pork bun, with tiramisu for dessert. That menu was far more traditional Chinese fare, heavy on familiar dishes like roast duck and stir-fried vegetables.
The difference is notable. Thursday’s dinner is a deliberate attempt to put American ingredients front and center, with Chinese influence showing up in the finishing touches rather than driving the whole plate.
“Every detail”
The dinner is also a reminder that state dinners are more than meals. They are performances of diplomatic theater, designed to signal respect, hospitality and shared values. Melania’s involvement in every detail suggests she understands that role well.
A Long Wait
The last state dinner for Xi at the White House was in the Obama administration.
The choice of wine also carries historical weight. Schramsberg ‘Blanc De Noir’ was served at the 1972 Toast to Peace between President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing.
The meal is a carefully calibrated blend of American and Chinese elements, with Melania’s hand guiding every choice. It is a dinner meant to be remembered, and the details suggest it will be.
Source material: “Here’s the menu for the Trump-Xi state dinner at White House — and how Melania influenced every detail,” the New York Post.
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