Jill Biden unveils menu and decor for South Korea state dinner

Crab cakes, short ribs, butter bean grits and banana splits are on the menu for Wednesday night’s state dinner, the White House revealed on Monday.

The ice cream is a special dish for President Joe Biden, who is known for his love of the sweet treat.

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will host the second state dinner of their administration on Wednesday for South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee. 

About 200 guests are expected for a glamous evening of music, dancing and fine food.

‘It’s a busy week,’ Jill Biden said when she previewed the state dinner menu and theme on Monday.

Guest Chef Ed Lee was brought in to design the menu for Wednesday’s state dinner, he worked with first lady Jill Biden on the dishes

A busy week indeed. 

Menu for South Korea state dinner  

First Course

Maryland Crab Cake

Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Fennel, and Cucumber Slaw

Gochujang Vinaigrette

Yellow Squash Soup Cured Strawberries, Perilla Leaf Oil

Ferdinand Albariño ‘Vista Luna Vineyard’ 2020

Main Course

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Butter Bean Grits, Sorghum-Glazed Carrots, Pine Nuts

Januik Merlot ‘Red Mountain’ 2020

Dessert

Banana Split Lemon Bar Ice Cream, Fresh Berries, Mint

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2019

There have been reports Joe Biden will announce his campaign for re-election on Tuesday. He has said he intends to run but he won’t confirm the timing of the announcement. Tuesday would mark the four year anniversary of when he announced his 2020 campaign.

‘I told you I am planning on running,’ the president said on Monday when he departed an event in the White House Rose Garden. ‘I will let you know real soon when.’ 

And, on Saturday, the first couple will attend the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. 

But their first formal occasion of the week will be on Wednesday, when they’ll don black tie attire to dance and dine under cherry blossoms in the East Room of the White House. 

They’ll dine on American food with a Korean twist. The first lady said her favorite course was the ‘crab cake’ because ‘it’s so American.’  

‘But I love them all,’ she said. ‘Joe’s favorite will be the last.’ That is the ice cream for dessert.

The dinner will take place in the East Room of the White House, the largest of the formal rooms on the state floor of the White House. 

The menu was designed by Chef Edward Lee, a Korean-American chef who’s known for infusing traditional American classics with Korean flavors.

‘That was the first thing I was told – ice cream,’ he said when he talked about the menu process.

Lee, who has appeared on Top Chef and owns restaurants in Washington D.C. and New York, created about a dozen dishes for Jill Biden and her team to try in order to come by the final menu. 

‘I wanted to take some of my favorite American foods and just tinker with it a little bit. And this is also how I cook in my restaurants – to just add a little bit of Korean touches to it. Where again, it’s familiar yet unexpected, and it’s not traditional Korean food, but it just gives you a little hint of Korean flavors,’ he said. 

He said the first person he told about being asked to be guest chef for the evening was his mom, an immigrant from Korea.

‘We’ve always felt this huge debt of gratitude to the United States of America for the opportunities that they’ve had, that I’ve been able to have. So to come full circle, and to give back and be able to do this was, you know, a very proud moment for me and also for my mom,’ he said.

And as for the advice his mom gave him: ‘She just said don’t mess it up.’ 

Cherry blossoms tower over the tables for the upcoming state dinner

Cherry blossoms tower over the tables for the upcoming state dinner

The table settings use the china from George W. Bush's presidency

The table settings use the china from George W. Bush’s presidency

White House Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison, left, standing with guest Chef Edward Lee, center, and White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford, right, talking about the dinner menu

White House Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison, left, standing with guest Chef Edward Lee, center, and White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford, right, talking about the dinner menu

A state visit is the highest diplomatic honor the U.S. reserves for its closest allies. Biden’s first went to France last December and took place in a glass tent on the South Lawn. Wednesday night’s is the first state dinner in the White House.

The first lady and her staff worked with Fête, an event and design firm owned by Korean American Jung Lee, to help create the theme and settings. 

Jill Biden said the decor was to ‘showcase the harmony of our cultures and our people intertwined.’ 

When guests enter the East Room, they will see scenic landscape designs that features some of the most American symbols – American Bison, the American Bald Eagle, roses, stars – and Korean images – the Korean magpie and Korean tiger.

The decorations were inspired by the Taegeuk, the symbol in the center of the Republic of Korea flag, which represents balance, harmony, and peace, according to the White House.

And it pays tribute to the 70-year alliance with the Republic of Korea. It includes platinum-colored table linens and flowers that are important to both countries.

First lady Jill Biden with (from left) White House Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison, White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford, and guest Chef Edward Lee

First lady Jill Biden with (from left) White House Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison, White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford, and guest Chef Edward Lee

The table settings from the state dinner

The table settings from the state dinner

The decor pays tribute to  the 70-year alliance with the Republic of Korea

The decor pays tribute to  the 70-year alliance with the Republic of Korea

Cherry blossoms decorate the cross hall of the White House

Cherry blossoms decorate the cross hall of the White House

But the most dramatic features if the over six-foot tall cherry blossoms that tower over the tables, giving a canopy of pink flowers for the guests to dine under. 

‘You have to admit that’s pretty spectacular,’ Jill Biden said of the decor.

The table setting uses the china from President George W Bush’s administration. The plate has a gold eagle in the center. Each napkin has a fresh flower blossom on it.

Some of the tables are made out of teal blue plexiglass, which reflects the cherry blossoms back to the guests.  

The bamboo chairs have a blue covering that evoke traditional sumukhwa (Korean ink brush painting). The designs are branches with peonies, representing prosperity and joy, and bamboo elements, representing longevity and strength.

Peonies and the first lady of South Korea’s favorite flowers. 

The are smaller vases of flowers as part of the table setting: Peonies, Orchids, Cherry Blossoms, and Azaleas (a native Korean flower). All are pink, red or white. Candles twinkle between the flower arrangements. 

The entertainment portion of the evening will consist of Broadway stars Norm Lewis, Lea Salonga and Jessica Vosk performing American musical classics.