The White House Hosts Plant-Based State Dinner With 400 Guests

The White House hosted a plant-based state dinner to honor the visit of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is a vegetarian. Renowned plant-based chef Nina Curtis worked with the White House executive chefs to create a menu that celebrated American cuisine while incorporating Indian flavors and elements. The dinner aimed to promote sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural influences.

The menu featured a marinated millet and grilled corn salad, stuffed portobello mushrooms with saffron-infused risotto, and rose and cardamom-infused strawberry shortcake. While the main menu was plant-based, fish was available upon request. This event is part of a global trend of serving plant-based meals at major meetings of world leaders as a way to promote sustainability and combat the environmental impact of animal agriculture, which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.