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Ambassadors, Chefs and a Well Commemorated Uprising A mixed bag of new ambassadors, five chefs from Valencia and remembering Budapest in 1956 BY ROLAND FLAMINI
NEW ON THE BLOCK In Mozart’s opera
“Don Giovanni,” the servant Leporello sings an aria listing his master’s many romantic conquests. In Spain alone, he sings, they include “country wenches, chambermaids, citizens, but also countesses, baronesses, princesses.” If U.S. Chief of Protocol Peter Selfridge were to recite a list of the professional backgrounds of the new foreign ambassadors who presented their credentials throughout 2016, he could make quite an aria out of it – politicians, bankers, school teachers, economists, engineers, retired soldiers, doctors, union leaders, a former child actor and an archbishop. Of the 41 new envoys extraordinary and plenipotentiary who joined the Washington diplomatic corps — roughly a fifth of all the chiefs of mission — less than half are career diplomats. Nine are former government ministers, including Joe Hockey, until recently the equivalent of finance minister in Australia’s current government, and Tim Groser of New Zealand, who previously held several ministries in the Wellington government (he’s the boy actor, and former rock band member.) Six are women, including the elegant Dina Kawar of Jordan, and Luxembourg’s Sylvie Lucas, formerly political director at her country’s ministry of foreign affairs. European countries adhered to the tradition of appointing senior career diplomats. British Ambassador Sir Kim Darroch was former Prime Minister David Cameron’s security advisor. He has the delicate task of reassuring a nervous Washington that post-Brexit Britain remains a strong ally and bilateral partner. Italian Ambassador Armando Varricchio was foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The cleric in the group, meanwhile, is the new papal nuncio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, a Vatican career diplomat.
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Chefs from Valencia, Spain gathered to cook in celebration of Spain’s national day here. First row from left to right: Samuel Marti and Daniel García Peinado. Back row from left to right: Angel Campillo, Francisco Hernández Martínez, Sebastien Gros and Edgar González. (Courtesy of the Embassy of Spain)
NOT TOO MANY COOKS: The old adage
FREEDOM FIGHTER: 1956 was a turbu-
about the negative effect of too many cooks was stood on its head in October when the Embassy of Spain imported five chefs to create a highly successful national day celebration. They were from a leading cooking and hospitality school in Valencia. Guests lined up for three different versions of paella and an array of other culinary offerings. Another excursion into culinary diplomacy in October was the French embassy reception to launch the new Michelin Guide for Washington, D.C. José Andrés’ Minibar, was one of four restaurants that earned two stars under the peculiar rubric “worth a detour”—a throwback to the original function of the Guide Michelin as a touring guide for French motorists. No Washington restaurant was awarded the coveted three stars in the Michelin’s “worth a trip” category.
lent year. There was an effort by the United Kingdom, France and Israel to take back the Suez Canal nationalized by the Egyptian dictator Gamal Abdel Nasser. That bid, with all its long-term promise of a different situation in the Middle East, came to an abrupt end when President Eisenhower bullied the three nations to end the conflict. And then was the Hungarian Revolution, brutally suppressed by Soviet troops and armor. At a 60th anniversary dinner hosted by the Embassy of Hungary, the most moving moment was a brief, factual and almost laconic remembrance by Imre Toth, one of the last surviving leaders of the Uprising, of what it was like organizing the civilian population to resist the Russians. More than one dinner guest thought of Ukraine, Georgia and how much has not changed.
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