Food is the ultimate tool of diplomacy!

The State Department relaunched its Diplomatic Culinary Partnership

My friends, 

You know how I am always saying that the way to solve our problems is through food? Well, I’m not the only one who thinks so! I am happy to tell you that last week, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (who’s going to be on my podcast tomorrow so be sure to listen in!) along with State’s Chief of Protocol Ambassador Rufus Gifford and James Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach, announced the relaunch of the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership.

Department of State @StateDept

We’re excited about the #DiplomaticCulinaryPartnership with @US_Protocol and the @beardfoundation. Hear from @SecBlinken and @chefjoseandres and see a few of the amazing chefs that will be part of this partnership. They know that diplomacy begins with great food.

“There is a reason that so much of our diplomatic work occurs around a lunch or a dinner table,” said Ambassador Gifford at the ceremony. “Food serves as one of our most important tools to build bridges, create connections, and deepen relationships.” I could not agree more!

The heart of this diplomatic partnership is the American Culinary Corps, a group of over 80 of the country’s leading chefs and culinary professionals (I am humbled to be part of this great group) who will participate in programs and events on behalf of the State Department at home and abroad. The core of this mission is to use food, hospitality, and the dining experience as diplomatic tools to engage foreign dignitaries, bridge cultures, and strengthen relationships. Yes, my friends, how amazing does that sound!

As Clare said at the ceremony, “Together we recognize the power of food in cultivating human connection, and as a compelling expression of heritage and culture. A shared meal and the story behind the plate can foster real empathy, can engender cross-cultural understanding and recognition of where we have been and where we are going as a society.”

I wanted to be there at the State Department celebration, but I was not able to join them because I was in Türkiye with World Central Kitchen where we are responding to the devastating earthquakes. Along with many brave local chefs, volunteers, and restaurant owners, we’ve been working to feed the first responders, the wounded, and people displaced by the earthquakes. We are serving tens of thousands of meals a day, trying to nourish our communities and serve up some love and hope, one plate of warm food at a time. 

So while I could not be at the ceremony, I sent along a video message from Türkiye.

Secretary Antony Blinken @SecBlinken

Culinary diplomat extraordinaire @chefjoseandres of @WCKitchen could not be with us last night because he is on the ground in Türkiye helping those in need. He left a video message for our incoming American Culinary Corps worth sharing, and to show just how powerful this work is.

I am so excited about this incredible new opportunity to bring diverse cultures together over food. Sharing a meal is one of the most meaningful ways to make connections and deepen relationships, so it makes perfect sense to me to use food as part of international diplomacy.

Food is the ultimate connector, it is so powerful when we can break bread together. It is at these longer tables that we see that food is our common ground, it does not divide, it brings us together. As Dr. Jill Biden says so simply: Food is love. And when we sit together and share food, we create a bond that helps us think of ways to come together, despite our differences. That’s where I think we are heading with this new diplomatic collaboration. I can’t wait to see where we go.