Chinese President Xi Jinping spent about 24 hours in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit before leaving India on Sunday morning. During his stay, he was staying at the Taj Palace in Chanakyapuri. His meals during official travel are rarely discussed in detail. But over the years, a handful of documented lunches and dinners have offered an unusual glimpse into what the Chinese president eats.
His Most Famous Meal Cost Just Rs 300
One of Xi's most famous meals was also one of his simplest. In December 2013, he walked into a Qingfeng Steamed Bun restaurant in Beijing and ordered six pork and scallion buns, a bowl of stewed liver, and a plate of mustard greens. The meal cost 21 yuan (approximately Rs 300).
People's Daily reported that Xi waited in line, paid for the food himself, and ate at a communal table. The lunch attracted a lot of attention because it was unusual for China's top leader to eat at an ordinary restaurant in public.
When the Chinese President was on an inspection tour of Fuping County in Hebei in 2012, according to People's Daily, he had braised chicken nuggets in brown sauce, stir-fried garlic sprouts with pork belly, and garland chrysanthemum with garlic for dinner. Xi also specifically asked staff not to serve alcohol.
The same account said he stayed in a small 16-square-metre hotel room with cracked bathroom tiles. When staff expressed concern about the room, Xi reportedly said it was clean and looked good. He also told them the bill had to be paid before leaving.
Xi Jinping Keeps Returning To Simpler Foods
Some of the strongest food memories associated with Xi go back to Liangjiahe in Shaanxi, where he lived and worked as a young man. When Xi returned to the village in 2015, he ate a home-cooked meal that included pickled vegetables, fried cakes, chicken, mutton and pumpkin, according to Xinhua.
Shaanxi food has also appeared at meals with political guests. When Xi met then-Kuomintang chairman Lien Chan in Beijing in 2014, the meal included mutton pie, mutton soup and noodles, according to the South China Morning Post.
There are other examples of similarly familiar food. People's Daily reported that when Xi ate with soldiers in Inner Mongolia ahead of Chinese New Year in 2014, his meal included scrambled eggs with tomatoes.
So, What Does His Diet Look Like?
There is a clear contrast between the President's personal meals and the elaborate dinners organised for visiting leaders, and for obvious reasons. State banquets are diplomatic events, where menus are all about showcasing expensive ingredients and elaborate regional dishes. These menus are specifically designed to represent Chinese cuisine.
