A significant deal, sometimes agreed upon behind the secret doors of politics, can also be concluded at a dining table. The taste of a dish on this table can influence the outcome of a meeting between leaders and change the direction of diplomatic relations.
The Modern.az website has prepared a research article about presidential chefs and state banquets.
World leaders are not only accompanied by advisors, generals, and diplomats; there are also invisible people around them – like presidential chefs... Chefs working in presidential palaces are special professionals who combine national security, protocol, diplomacy, and high culinary mastery.
The table they prepare represents the image, culture, and hospitality of the state. Tables set for foreign guests on behalf of state leaders are arranged according to special rules. Every dish, every spice choice, and the table setting in the menu can carry a message – “Who we are and what kind of country we are”.
Presidential chefs must maintain a balance between security, delicacy, and creativity. They are both artists, diplomats, and trusted individuals. At the same time, they are also responsible for the head of state's taste, health, and security.
According to research, the selection of presidential chefs is a long and multi-stage process. During this selection, professional experience and skills, knowledge of national and international cuisine, psychological stability and resilience, confidentiality, and reliability are key criteria.
The chef's personal life, connections, and past are thoroughly checked.
Since presidents frequently host foreign guests, the chef must be well-versed in both their own country's cuisine and the culinary characteristics of other nations.
The duties of the head chef of presidential palaces are very complex:
- Preparing daily menus for the head of state and their family;
- Compiling special menus for official receptions, state banquets, and foreign visits;
- Taking into account religious and health requirements (e.g., diets, allergies, halal rules, etc.);
- Preparing dishes that align with the cultural and diplomatic tastes of guests;
- Monitoring the quality and safety of food products – subjecting every product to strict inspection;
- Managing kitchen staff, ensuring adherence to hygiene and safety standards.
While excellent culinary skills are a primary requirement for a presidential chef, they are not sufficient. The chef must also maintain confidentiality – not leaking any information related to the head of state's personal life. They must adhere to security regulations and be able to work collaboratively with protocol services.
Famous Chefs of the White House and the Élysée Palace
In the USA, the president's chef is considered a diplomatic figure. The White House Executive Chef is regarded as a kind of kitchen minister, typically responsible for all meals for the presidential family, as well as official state dinners. One of the most famous White House chefs was Cristeta Comerford, of Filipino origin. She served 4 presidents – George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden – from 2005 until her retirement in 2024.
In France, the chef of the Élysée Palace holds one of the state's most prestigious culinary positions. The cuisine of French presidents is considered the most prestigious state cuisine in the world.
Guillaume Gomez was the head chef of the Élysée Palace from 2013 to 2021. Under his leadership, the Élysée Palace combined both classic dishes and new-generation gastronomy.
Former head chef Guillaume Gomez worked with 4 presidents at the Élysée Palace: Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy, François Hollande, and Emmanuel Macron.
He left his position as head chef in 2021, after 25 years of service.
What dishes does Putin offer to foreign guests...
The chefs of the Russian president are considered servants who undergo strict security checks. In the Kremlin kitchen, every product first undergoes laboratory analysis, as poisoning has been considered a real threat for years.
According to research, President Vladimir Putin's chefs are military personnel and hold various ranks. All dishes prepared for the head of state must always first be tasted by the chefs and guards.
The Russian leader does not eat “fast food” and tries to avoid meat in the evenings. Among his favorite dishes are eggplant appetizers, Olivier salad, and game animal liver. Putin does not drink ordinary tea; during official events, rosehip and ginger tea are prepared for him. The president rarely consumes alcoholic beverages. Ice cream holds a special place among Putin's favorite foods.
His chefs also accompany Putin on trips. His chef, Vladimir Olegovich, states in the film “Our Service,” intended for a limited audience of individuals affiliated with the Federal Protective Service: "Wherever the leader is, be it a business trip, a vacation, or a private ceremony, we are always there".
Anatoly Galkin, former head chef of the Kremlin, writes in his memoirs: “The most important thing in our work was to taste before the president. We always checked a sample of every dish first”
According to disclosed information, lunches served to foreign guests on behalf of the Russian president usually begin with fish or seafood and vegetable appetizers. When selecting them, chefs try to take into account any allergies, religious beliefs, and other special requests of the guests.
Soups characteristic of Russian cuisine are served as first courses. For example, in Moscow, Putin hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with fish soup, and Chinese President Xi Jinping with duck borscht.
The Kremlin kitchen menu also frequently offers foreign guests dumplings with unusual fillings such as crayfish, sturgeon, or salmon.
The main hot dish is traditionally offered in two varieties, one of which always contains meat, such as beef or lamb, and in some cases, veal or venison. For dessert, guests are offered sherbet made from various berries or citrus fruits each time.
In September 2023, the following menu was used for the working lunch between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Sochi:
Smoked trout salad with cucumber and avocado; red mullet with tomato sauce; kharcho soup with beef; red mullet with vegetables and mushroom sauce, and grilled lamb ribs.
For dessert, the presidents were served “bird's milk” (“ptichye moloko”).
The Palates of Turkish Leaders
In the last 30 years of Turkish politics, famous chef Zeki Açıköz, who cooked for many politicians from former presidents Turgut Özal to Süleyman Demirel, former prime minister Bülent Ecevit, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, spoke about the leaders' culinary tastes in one of his press interviews.
According to him, Turkey's 8th president, Turgut Özal, was a leader who loved food. Özal, who enjoyed hosting guests, primarily preferred local dishes.
The 9th president, Süleyman Demirel, enjoyed food but was not a meticulous eater.
"Demirel loved Isparta cuisine and made no distinction between dishes," said Zeki Açıkgöz.
He recalls that former Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit was not much of a food enthusiast, but he loved “kuru fasulye” (baked beans): "As his physique suggested, Ecevit didn't love food, but he would never say "no" to dried fruits”.
Zeki Açıkgöz stated that current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a leader who pays attention to his diet: "Since he is from Rize, President Erdoğan's palate is entirely connected to Black Sea cuisine. He also loves Ottoman cuisine and local delicacies. He enjoys Yayla soup and vegetable dishes. However, Erdoğan is extremely careful about what he eats and drinks".
Not only Turkish politicians but also world leaders such as the late Queen Elizabeth of Britain, former US President Barack Obama, and Russian leader Vladimir Putin have tasted the dishes cooked by Zeki Açıköz. He even prepared a menu of Turkish dishes for Queen Elizabeth during her visit to Turkey in 2008.
According to Açıköz, the royal family and the embassy requested a British menu for the Queen, but the Queen herself insisted on tasting Turkish dishes: "At that time, we prepared sütlaç as a dessert suitable for Queen Elizabeth's diet. The Queen liked the sütlaç so much that, although it was forbidden to speak to her according to palace rules, she conversed with me".
Considering the great interest in what leaders eat and drink, Z. Açıköz, together with journalist Özcan Yıldırım, wrote a book titled "The Table of Politics," describing the culinary tastes of politicians.
Azerbaijani Cuisine in the Role of Soft and Cultural Diplomacy...
Azerbaijan is one of the gastronomically richest countries in the world. This richness finds its expression in state banquets held at the presidential level. Menus prepared for state banquets are carefully crafted to showcase Azerbaijan's hospitality, history, and identity to the world.
The menu for official receptions organized by the President of Azerbaijan is usually based on a harmony of classic national dishes and international cuisine. The goal is both to introduce local flavors and to create a balance suitable for the diverse tastes of guests.
Extensive public information about the chefs of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan is not disclosed, as this area is managed within the framework of security and confidentiality. However, their work is also based on high standards, similar to other countries:
- Presenting national cuisine at an international level;
- Preparing menus with aesthetic, national elements for diplomatic receptions and state dinners;
- Adhering to halal rules, etc.
During visits of foreign heads of state to our country, the menu usually features famous delicacies of Azerbaijani cuisine -
as cold appetizers: eggplant roll, qutab, kuku, dovga, cucumber-tomato salad, various cheeses;
as hot dishes: dolma (in grape leaves and others), piti or lula kebab, chicken lavangi, tandoor kebab, various types of pilaf;
from desserts: pakhlava, shekerbura, gogal, halva, and seasonal fruits;
from drinks: Azerbaijani tea, pomegranate juice, local mineral waters, local wine varieties are served.
At the same time, examples from world cuisine are also arranged on the table.
At the Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Baku in 2009, guests were served “saj qovurma” and “dovga”.
During the “Eurovision” contest in 2012, guests at international events held in the capital were served mini-dolmas, lavash rolls, and fish kebab from Azerbaijani cuisine.
In 2024, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had lunch with Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Shusha. The lunch menu was disclosed by Lukashenko's press service. It was revealed that the menu also included examples of Shusha cuisine:
Vegetable/cheese assortment, qatıq-ash (Shusha cuisine), sturgeon lavangi, kuku, pip dolma in hornbeam leaves, chicken fried with onions, beef on saj, lamb kebab in tandoor, assorted kebab, boyana pilaf (Shusha cuisine), dashma pilaf, panna cotta (Italian dessert, sugar-free), national sweets.
At state banquets in Azerbaijan, attention is paid not only to the food but also to table culture and presentation. Tablecloths primarily made of Sheki silk or patterned with golden ornaments are used.
Tableware is often selected from special collections adorned with Azerbaijani national motifs.
The tea ceremony is an integral part of the banquet – the armudu glass and rose jam are the most beloved symbols of presidential receptions.
Azerbaijani cuisine is considered an instrument of soft and cultural diplomacy at the state level. Here, every dish from dolma to pakhlava, every detail from rose jam to the armudu glass, carries a message: Azerbaijan is a country of both tastes and culture.
A. Gafarli
