Cooking for leaders Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron: A top chef's account of the experience
However, when it comes to the elaborate state dinners attended by global leaders, the public rarely gets the opportunity to enjoy the same delicacies.
This changed recently.
In May, Xi Jinping embarked on a trip through Europe, his first since 2019. While in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron held a formal state banquet at the Elysee Palace to celebrate the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations. But if food enthusiasts were hoping to taste the same dishes served to the two heads of state, they'd have to travel to Hong Kong.
The Plaisance restaurant, part of Mauro Colagreco's establishment, now offers a China-France State Dinner Experience menu through late June. Colagreco is the chef-owner of renowned French restaurant Mirazur and one of three chefs enlisted to create the state dinner menu.
A surprise invite from the Elysee Palace
The unexpected opportunity to cook for the world's most powerful leaders began with a phone call from the Elysee Palace.
"[They were] asking me to take part in the menu for this state banquet, without knowing who the guest president would be, for reasons of state secrecy," Colagreco tells CNN, adding that he was quick to accept the assignment. "This adds to the excitement, as you never know what the guests' tastes will be. But in the end, we created a menu that is very true to the cuisine I love, with exceptional products and delicate flavors."
Colagreco was responsible for designing the starter for the banquet. Known for his penchant for blending Italian-Argentine influences and French cooking techniques, he's renowned for his emphasis on seasonality and sustainability. In 2019, Colagreco became the first non-French chef to win three Michelin stars in France with Mirazur, and was named the World's Best Restaurant that same year.
With only a month to develop his dish, Colagreco says his team received "carte blanche" to create a menu that was "representative and respectful of French products."
"I must admit, I was quite confident when I found out who the guest was; I have a deep love for Asia and my very first experience there was in Shanghai in 2011," he says.
Apart from the Plaisance restaurant in Hong Kong, Colagreco's restaurant group now runs six establishments in mainland China.
The chef admits he found the task of cooking for the world leaders both challenging and exhilarating. After perfecting the recipes, they sent their requirements and lists of ingredients to the Elysee Palace's kitchen team directed by chef Fabrice Desvignes.
On the day of the state dinner, the Mirazur team showed up early to prepare dinner with the other chefs. Within this limited timeframe, Colagreco says they had to adjust and navigate the new kitchen environment.
"Then we had a visit from First Lady Brigitte Macron in the kitchens, which really reassured and motivated us," he says. "It's quite a responsibility to cook for her. It's only now that we realize how fortunate we were to be part of this wonderful moment."
The appetizing starter that won praise from China's First Lady
250 guests attended the state dinner. The three-course meal was planned to match the leaders' tight schedules.
Colagreco's starter featured a homemade crab cake from France, topped with a delicate layer of Oscietra caviar and enveloped by a captivating jelly made with flower petals from the Mirazur gardens.
"The whole team took the time to develop a surprising dish," says Colagreco. "We had to offer flavors that would delight everyone's palates, as well as showcase our culinary identity. The aim was to showcase our expertise in healthy eating and respect for the product. But it also had to be aesthetically appealing, as presentation is essential and this dish is quite refined."
His efforts were rewarded when Xi Jinping's wife, Peng Liyuan, commended the plate's sophistication, finesse, and tastes at the end of the dinner.
Pierre Gagnaire, renowned French chef behind the eponymous three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris, crafted the main course. He opted for a succulent Bresse chicken served with morels cooked in a blend of Cognac, Port, and Madeira wine, along with chicken stock. This showstopper was topped off with Savagnin wine sauce, a specialty made in France's Vin Jaune region.
The delectable dessert, a creation of Délicatisserie Founder Nina Métayer known as strawberries and verbena pavlova, concluded the evening's delights.
Fromagerie Quatrehomme, a Parisian cheesemonger and refiner since 1953, sourced the evening's cheeses. La Manufacture de Sèvres, an esteemed French royal/national porcelain factory established in 1759, supplied the dinnerware.
’Food serves as the glue that unites the world’
At Plaisance, a restaurant owned by Chef Colagreco in Hong Kong, patrons can try all three meals Macron and Xi were treated to during the recent state dinner.
The chef emphasizes that the dishes and flavors stay true to the originals, although their presentation will vary due to different serving ware.
For those with a bit more time on their hands, Plaisance offers an extended menu consisting of three additional meals from Mirazur and Plaisance restaurants. The three-course option costs 1,888 Hong Kong dollars ($241), while the six-course menu is priced at 2,888 Hong Kong dollars ($369).
Having arrived in France in 2001, subsequently launching Mirazur in 2006, Colagreco remarks about the state dinner as a cherished moment for himself.
“I'm immensely proud and honored to be chosen for this exceptional dinner, representing France, my host country for close to 23 years, through my culinary skills,” the 47-year-old chef shares.
“I wholeheartedly believe that food serves as the glue that binds the world together. Culinary expertise is an expression of love. It's our responsibility as chefs to spread this idea of sharing and positivity in events like these, acting as ambassadors, showcasing French ingenuity, and introducing people to our culture via tastes and flavors."
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After tasting the dishes at Plaisance, food enthusiasts might also be interested in traveling to mainland China to try other culinary creations from Chef Mauro Colagreco's restaurant group.
To fully savor the flavors and presentation of Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron's state dinner, individuals can book the extended menu at Plaisance, offering additional meals from Mirazur and Plaisance restaurants for a more immersive experience.
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