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State Department Launches Diplomatic Culinary Partnership

By: Markette Smith // September 8, 2012
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In this Oct. 13, 2010 file photo, Spanish chef Jose Andres takes part in a news conference in New York. Top-rated chefs from Washington and across the nation are joining a new effort at the U.S. State Department to increasingly use food as a tool for diplomacy at home and abroad.
AP Photo/Richard Drew, File
In this Oct. 13, 2010 file photo, Spanish chef Jose Andres takes part in a news conference in New York. Top-rated chefs from Washington and across the nation are joining a new effort at the U.S. State Department to increasingly use food as a tool for diplomacy at home and abroad.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the State Department have launched a new program that uses food as a tool for diplomacy.

The new diplomatic culinary partnership, called "American Chef Corps," will use American chefs as a resource to the State Department in preparing meals for foreign leaders. Some local chef ambassadors include D.C. restaurateurs Jose Andres, Mike Isabella and Art Smith.

Smith and the other chefs convened at the State Department Friday evening to launch the program where they served up their best American fare.

"The more that we can feed people, the more peace we will have in the world," says Smith.

The chefs will also go on diplomatic missions abroad under the guidance of Ambassador Capricia Marshall.

"You know, the Secretary of State, the President, the Vice President engage in difficult conversations when they're at the bilateral table, and food can be a wonderful resource in which, to create a framework for diplomacy."

The American Chef Corps includes more than 80 chefs from across the U.S.

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