During a recent trip to South Korea, President Trump’s lunch menu offered a curious blend: traditional local dishes alongside more familiar, yet less refined, American favorites like beef patties with ketchup and salad topped with Thousand Island dressing.
This South Korean meal was merely one highlight of his broader Asian tour. Earlier, in Malaysia, lunch featured U.S. Angus beef sandwiches, while a meal in Japan with the new prime minister controversially presented American rice instead of the nation’s cherished local staple.
These meticulously crafted menus revealed the lengths to which host nations went to balance showcasing their own culinary heritage with catering to President Trump’s distinct palate and ‘America First’ policy objectives. The hope was that these gastronomic efforts would smooth the path for productive trade discussions.
It’s no secret that President Trump has a particular set of food preferences. He’s known for his love of fast food, insists on well-done steaks, and enjoys classic American fare such as Caesar salads, spaghetti, and french fries. Notably, he avoids coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages.
The mid-week lunch with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and various business leaders was officially described by Lee’s office as ‘fusion Korean cuisine, highlighting regional specialties from across the country, all carefully adapted to President Trump’s tastes.’
The White House highlighted the inclusion of Thousand Island dressing, served with South Korean shrimp, scallops, and abalone, as a gesture acknowledging Trump’s New York origins. This dressing, famously from the New York-Ontario border region, seems to be a personal favorite, as he was also served it the previous evening at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Tokyo.
Following the salad, the meal included braised short ribs prepared with U.S. beef, thoughtfully paired with authentic Korean elements such as kimchi, local rice, the root vegetable deodeok, and a selection of traditional fermented pastes (jang).
Next, beef patties with ketchup were served, which President Lee’s office explicitly pointed out as ‘a favorite food of President Trump.’ Dessert followed, featuring citrus and brownies adorned with gold, a color frequently associated with President Trump’s preferences.
For the evening’s dinner, acclaimed Korean American chef Edward Lee curated a bespoke meal. It showcased an array of South Korean ingredients like black chicken, halibut, caviar, and prized pine mushrooms. Additionally, sirloin and rice from Gyeongju, the APEC summit location, were featured, alongside lobster, another known favorite of President Trump.
The South Korean presidential office confirmed that wines, specifically chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, from Eric Trump’s winery were served alongside the dinner.
Chef Lee, widely recognized for his role in Netflix’s ‘Culinary Class Wars,’ characterized the preparation of this dinner as a delicate balancing act, aiming to present Korean cuisine in both its traditional and contemporary fusion styles.
However, a significant part of this culinary performance was simply to accommodate President Trump’s preferences, according to Vivian Han, a Seoul-based menu developer who previously organized a state dinner for him and President Moon Jae-in in 2017.
Han observed, ‘He is a powerful leader, an ‘America First’ president. It appears the world is quite focused on how best to cater to his specific requirements.’
Some culinary experts, however, expressed a desire for a greater emphasis on authentic Korean ingredients at Wednesday’s lunch. Julia Ha, a food and beverage consultant in Seoul, remarked, ‘K-food is incredibly popular worldwide right now; everyone is eager to experience it, and he traveled all this distance.’
Chef Park Hyo Nam, a South Korean culinary professor who once prepared a lunch for Presidents Barack Obama and Lee Myung-bak in 2010, agreed with this sentiment, though he acknowledged that the chefs likely faced strict limitations.
He explained that menus for diplomatic events are meticulously planned by protocol teams from both participating nations. Occasionally, the instructions can be so precise that the head chef has little to no creative control over the final menu.
Ultimately, according to Park, incorporating ingredients from the guest’s home country and accommodating a leader’s dietary preferences are standard practice.
He concluded that such efforts ‘help foster an atmosphere of thoughtful hospitality, making guests feel truly considered.’