Ivanka Trump dined on grilled tofu and bibimbap at dinner with South Korea's president - and the meal had a hidden meaning
- Ivanka Trump dined with South Korea's president on Friday as part of her trip to the country for the Winter Olympics closing ceremonies.
- The menu was kosher to accommodate Trump and included bibimbap and other dishes that symbolized "harmony."
- The menu was crafted to contain nods to the relationship between South Korea and the US - as well as South Korea's relationship with North Korea.
The menu for Ivanka Trump's dinner with South Korea's president has a hidden meaning.
The first daughter dined with South Korean President Moon Jae In at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul on Friday, with a menu crafted especially for Trump's visit to the country for the Olympics closing ceremonies.
The Blue House crafted a menu that is "Korean food designed to be palatable for foreigners," according to a White House pool report.
The centerpiece of the meal was bibimbap, a Korean dish that combines rice, vegetables, and various other toppings and sauces.
"Bibimbap is a food that mixes different ingredients evenly and symbolizes harmony," according to the Blue House.
The bibimbap wasn't South Korea's only symbolic reference to harmony in the meal. Guests will be offered the choice of red wine from Napa Valley or white wine from Chungbuk province in South Korea.
The harmony in question can be seen as a nod to the US and South Korea working together. However, it is also likely a reference to North and South Korea's relationship.
Moon met with North Korean representatives four times during their three-day trip to South Korea earlier in the Olympics. Now, Korean media outlets report that Moon hopes to convince Trump to lobby her father to visit North Korea on a diplomatic trip.
The meal also symbolizes South Korea's willingness to collaborate with the US.
There's no shellfish or sashimi on the menu, as it has been "delicately prepared" to be kosher for Trump, who practices Orthodox Judaism. And, while everyone else ate kalbi grilled ribs, Trump was served "grilled soft tofu with special marinade" to better fit her preferences.
Here's the full menu:
- Lotus root and pear salad
- Jujube (red date) porridge
- Grilled soft tofu with special marinade for Ivanka Trump
- Kalbi grilled ribs for everyone else
- Bibimbap
- Frozen strawberry in three different flavors
- Citrus tea
- Dried persimmon and deep fried walnut
- Red wine from Napa Valley
- White wine from Chungbuk province in South Korea