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Pork is scratched off the menu for Jamie Oliver's diplomatic dinners
Amar Singh27.03.09
JAMIE Oliver may have lobbied us to buy British pork but he won't be serving it to the world's most powerful leaders at next week's G20 banquet in Downing Street.
The chef, whose recent TV series Jamie Saves Our Bacon saw him champion pig welfare, has removed pork from the menu of his six-course meal because it could offend Muslim guests.
The Saudi Arabian, Turkish and Indonesian delegations are said to have requested that no pork be served and that halal food is available for leaders such as King Abdullah of the Saudi royal family and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, president of Indonesia.
A source close to Oliver, 33, said he was also "working his way through a lengthy list" of dietary requirements for Gordon Brown's global guest list.
Oliver has spent the past few months ensuring embassies and British diplomats approve ingredients. The source said: "We have a very lengthy list of what certain parties will require and it's proved quite a challenge to make sure all dietary needs are catered for - but there should be no issues. Certain foods are off the menu based on what has been requested."
Cyrus Todiwala, a leading chef who is making a lunch for G20 delegation members at Asia House next Wednesday, said: "If you have leaders from Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia or Indonesia there, then you simply cannot serve pork. It is not an option and you cannot mess about. Britain's reputation is on the line here.
"Suppliers will have been vetted thoroughly and Jamie's people would have been working with Downing Street and the embassies for a long time to avoid any issues. Preparing a meal like this is a logistical nightmare. I served 48 Commonwealth heads of state once and every person had a dietary issue."
Oliver will have a team of 40 at Downing Street including apprentices from Fifteen, the London restaurant he founded to help train underprivileged young people.
Reader views (24)
.. and you can bet your life this means no pork for *anyone*, even non-Muslims.
Just how far are we going to go with this cultural Marxism and excessive appeasement - especially toward the seemingly perpetually-offended adherents of one religion in particular?
- Philip, London, United Kingdom
Doesn't it seem very crass to talk about the food sensitivities of the deligates from the variuos cultures when we know that while they are eating their delicasies that are costing thousands of dollars for each meal, people all over the world are starving to death for want of a few grains of mouldy rice?
I wonder if Jamie, who cares so much about the welfare of those poor little piggies will do this gig for free and send the money for releiving the hunger pangs of the starving children who are going to die today or tommorrow.
Give the conferance deligates fish(pond grown, of course, so sustainable) and chips: Relatively cheap and suits all cultures and religions!
- Nick, London
You can all get off your blasted soap-boxes!
If I have friends over for dinner, I DO take into account their dining requests and, though the dinner may not be entirely vegeterian, there'll be a vegeterian option for the non-meat eaters.
If I had the misfortune of inviting over a load of self-indulgent bureaucrats I would follow similar guidelines.
It's (a) common sense and (b) good manners.
Now ... what happened to those pork scratchings?
- Marianne, SW France
Political correctness or, to give it its original name from the 1930's Frankfurt School, cultural marxism has made great strides in recent years and prevents people like Jamie from acting properly with regard to animal welfare. This will get worse unless people stand-up to the government.
- Kris, London
When living in Denmark I witnessed a Halal butcher at work.. with a goat on the floor of a filthy lock up garage. Needless to say I refuse to eat Halal meat and I am offended by the barbaric way in which the animal was made to suffer. The whole ordeal took about 5 minutes before the beast stopped twiching. Sick.
- Jimbob, Kensington
I am fed up with these silly "summits" that exist solely for the purpose of having politicians look important by appearing with a bunch of other politicians. Nothing, repeat nothing has ever come out of these "summits" except large bills to taxpayers.
- Rob H, Brisbane Australia
This is about showing respect to OTHER nations...
So if an International Conference were held in a Muslim country and someone wanted a Ham Sandwich do you think the host country would comply or be "offended."
Respect cuts both ways.
- Kellyj, san diego ca
"This is about showing respect to OTHER nations-" is it, really?
Then how come that these other nations don't respect us? Is there any, I mean any reciprocity at all?
- Sheik Yer'Mami, Mecca
Halal meat is butchered in the most abhorrent way. Jamie Oliver is a hypocrit of the first order if he uses halal meat he harps on about things that are not his concern then endorses halal. Welfare for the animal is last consideration of tha halal butcher as he slits the animals throat and lets it slowly bleed to death. No Halal in Britian cultural sensitivity or not, you cannot appease those who d this to animals you must show your disapproval by not serving it period.
- David, wilmslow
double egg and chips for Gordon please!!
- Kadir, london
Pat, extremely well put! This has nothing to do whatsoever with the UK turning into an Islamic state! This is about showing respect to OTHER nations. If dog or cat or rat(!) was served up on a menu elsewhere, I am sure Gordon Brown would be offended regardless of whether he actually ate it or not!
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
I'll have the dog, please.
- Ted, London
So that'll be 20 rounds of beans on toast then. Someone had better open a window ...............
- Paul, London
Frank, Home Counties, England, UK
I don't think you are "getting it"
no one is forcing anyone to eat pork.
Would you take all meat off the menu because some vegetarians are attending ?
No of course not, however taking pork off the menu is submitting to Islam.
Please try to understand before this country becomes an Islamic state.
- Bert, som
Good luck to anyone eating Jamie Olivers turn outs.
- David., Chertsey.UK.
Frank: Nowhere have I suggested forcing anyone to eat anything, but not serving pork to anyone because the muslims don't like it is just plain wrong, as I said have the vegetarians at the table asked that no meat at all is served, no, not at all because they are considerate enough to accept that we all have different ideals.
- Ian Bewick, Kensington
Quite right to show good manners and consideration to one's guests. Would you expect Gordon Brown to eat dog at a summit in Korea?
- Pat, East Kent UK
I agree this is PC gone mad
"If you have leaders from Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia or Indonesia there, then you simply cannot serve pork. It is not an option and you cannot mess about. Britain's reputation is on the line here.
what a stupid comment no one is asking them to eat pork
I could understand if the meeting was in Saudi where there is no pork at all - this is crazy
thanks Gordon once again you have shown top leadership
- L Parker, london
oh dear, oh dear......more PC gone mad, and i am soryy that Mr Oliver has been brainwashed by the PC mobs - yet another example of us in the UK bending over to accomodate religious cranks and acting like doormats.
- gary, amersham
Quite right too! It's called MANNERS. CONSIDERATION. RESPECT.
Ian, I suppose if you invite friends for dinner and they are vegetarian, you force them to eat meat?
Thought not!
- Frank, Home Counties, England, UK
If they don't eat something that is served simply be polie and request that it nt be served to them. Can you imagine if I insisted no one eat shell fish at a dinner party just because I am allergic!
There are some crazy fools runing this country.
- Ben, W1, London
Muslims don’t eat pork, so nor should anyone else. Be a good Dhimmi and read the pact of Omar.
- Roger, London
Ian, get off that computer and come and have your tea.
- - Dorian Bewick, Kensington
Another example of muslim arrogance. Have the Vegetarian leaders requested that no meat be served? Though not.
- Ian Bewick, Kensington
