Menu for State Dinner Honoring President Li of China

This menu was created for a State Dinner hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in honor of President Xiannian Li of the People's Republic of China and his wife, Jidmei Lin, on July 23, 1985. The dinner was held in the State Dining Room and featured a menu that included lobster en belle vue, veal tenderloin in a golden crust, a salad of romaine lettuce and jicama root, and peach and strawberry sorbet for dessert. During the dinner, guests enjoyed music by the Strolling Strings. This was the first State Dinner held at the White House for a Chinese president. However, the Reagans had previously hosted a State Dinner in honor of Chinese Premier Ziyang Zhou on January 10, 1984. This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. As executive chef from 1966-1987, Haller oversaw the menus for over 250 State Dinners at the White House.