BehindtheScenes

Donald Trump is not a gourmand. The man loves a Big Mac and french fries. He reportedly likes a well-done steak, hard as a brick, and he loves Doritos. His favorite drink in the world is Diet Coke. What I’m trying to say is that it’s a fool’s errand for world leader to try to impress Trump with a world-class menu at a state dinner. For last week’s banquet in Windsor Castle, King Charles approved of a three-course meal, per NYT: “The menu began with a Hampshire watercress panna cotta, served with parmesan shortbread and quail egg salad. The main course was an organic Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettes, with a thyme and savory-infused jus. For dessert, guests were to be served a vanilla ice cream bombe with Kentish raspberry sorbet interior and lightly poached Victoria plums.” Basically, cheese, salad, chicken and ice cream. Which is pretty smart for someone like Trump. Still, there was a major snafu behind-the-scenes, at least according to the Daily Mail:

The lavish Windsor Castle banquet held as the centrepiece of President Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain was hit by a furious behind-the-scenes row, The Daily Mail has learned. The spectacular dinner saw Trump and his wife Melania hosted by King Charles, Prince William and Princess Kate, surrounded by dozens of high-flying business chiefs and diplomats from both sides of the Atlantic. But as the 160 VIP guests enjoyed their three course meal in the refined surroundings of Windsor Castle’s St George’s Hall, tensions ‘below stairs’ were soon boiling over.

Sources have told the Daily Mail that several members of the Secret Service team guarding the President went into the kitchen to oversee the preparation by the royal chefs, and even tasting the food – which some of them felt was disruptive. The guests were blissfully unaware but the atmosphere in the kitchen quickly became tense as tempers began to fray between kitchen staff and visiting American security.

The royal source said: ‘The banquet was a resounding success in the main hall, but there was a disruption behind the scenes. Tensions flared between the chefs preparing the meal and the US security team responsible for protecting the President and his entourage. The chefs, working to plate three courses flawlessly, grew frustrated as US Secret Service agents repeatedly checking and even sampling all the food. What began as quiet irritation escalated into a heated exchange, with raised voices on both sides. It took several minutes for tempers to cool and for the kitchen to return to its usual rhythm. Guests in the hall remained completely unaware of the row, but in the kitchen, it was impossible to miss.’

[From The Daily Mail]

It pains me to say this, but… isn’t this business as usual for the Secret Service? While it sounds like they were going out of their way to make nuisances out of themselves, it also sounds like the palace kitchen team were (stupidly) unprepared for Secret Service to take those kinds of precautions when it came to handling the NotMyPresident’s food. Additionally, those British lushes made a big deal about the extensive wine list and another specialty cocktail made for the banquet. Did Charles not realize that Trump doesn’t drink alcohol? Granted, I’m sure everyone else enjoyed their wine and cocktails, but I’m also sure that Trump was dying for a Diet Coke.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.