US hosts "culinary diplomacy" exchange with experts from 25 countries

It’s an initiative that gives food a paramount role in international relations. A scan of participating countries shows an interesting mix of representatives, with some hailing from burgeoning economies like Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, and others coming from politically tenuous and volatile countries like Burma, Libya, and the Palestine Territories.

Participants – all culinary experts in their respective countries – will meet with chefs, farmers, and their American counterparts in Washington DC and New York, where they will explore urban food initiatives, sustainable farming and discuss the importance of “culinary diplomacy” as a means to strengthen foreign relations.

The tour ends in New Orleans which is being pitched as the crossroads of American cuisine. Participants will learn about specialties in the country’s gastronomic heritage, in addition to the importance of food tourism and youth initiatives.

As part of the culinary diplomacy program, the State Department has also tapped some of the best chefs in the country to form an American Chef Corps, a team of culinary ambassadors who will promote American cuisine and cook for foreign leaders.

Highlighting the importance of food and international relations is also at the crux of the Club des Chefs des Chefs, which gathers chefs to some of the most powerful leaders in the world with the aim of promoting cultural exchange.

The International Visitor Leadership Program runs September 6 to 28.