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South Korea State Dinner: What’s on the Menu?

Summary: 
Go behind the scenes in the White House Kitchen as the chefs prepare tonight's official State Dinner

Guests at the State Dinner honoring the President of South Korea this evening in the East Room of the White House will enjoy a Fall Harvest Dinner conceived by First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford. Tonight’s menu highlights the best of local produce combined with Korean flavors and traditions.

The first course, Butternut Squash Bisque, includes squash grown in the White House Kitchen Garden and harvested last week, and honey from the White House beehive, plus locally sourced scallions, which Comerford calls “a wondrous Korean ingredient.”

The second course, an Early Fall Harvest Salad, includes red and green lettuces grown in the White House Kitchen Garden which are wrapped in daikon sheets and served with masago rice pearl crispies and a sesame vinaigrette as a nod to Korean traditions.  

The main course features Wagyu beef rib eye steaks from a Texas ranch served with fresh turnip greens from a DC-area source and squash from the White House Kitchen Garden.  For dessert, White House pastry chef William Yosses and his team have prepared a classic chocolate cake layered with a blend of Korean and American pears.