Last week, American president Joe Biden came to Canada for his first visit since being officially named the President of the United States. The catering team at the National Arts Centre was tasked with crafting a menu destined to impress while simultaneously showing off everything Canada has to offer. The dinner was presented by Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum. And, while the menu offered ingredients from across the country, some say it fell flat.
A look at what was served to Joe Biden and guests
“The meal, put together by executive chef Kenton Leier, features ingredients such as East Coast yellowfin tuna, Alberta beef, flaxseed, Quebec maple syrup and Yukon gold potatoes,” reported CTV News. “The three courses also include a cabernet sauvignon jus made with wine from Pelee Island Winery in Kingsville, Ont., and a rum caramel made of Newfoundland’s famous Screech rum.”
The full menu was shared on Twitter:
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The menu got mixed reviews
Canadians took to the internet to criticize the menu, making jokes about the selections.
Another user questioned where the “real” Canadian staples were.
A third user opted for the blunt distaste approach.
However, some took to the internet to defend Leier’s menu, specifically the Albertan short rib.
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While this marked Joe Biden’s first official visit as President, he also attended a dinner in his honour in Ottawa in 2016, when he served as the Vice President for Barack Obama. There, he gave a toast that highlighted the long, deep history between Canada and the United States. Other guests for this year’s dinner included various political parties from an array of different countries, as well as celebrities like Sarah Polley, actors Eugene Levy and Gabriel LaBelle, comedian Mark Critch and musician Alan Doyle.