Last night,Chris Cassidy Archives President Obama enjoyed his final state dinner the way all presidents should: With fine wine, star comedians and really earnest jokes.
Obama used the occasion to honor Italy, a longtime American ally who "just happens" to have some of the best cuisine on the planet. The president invited celebrity chef Mario Batali to help cater the event, and invited key Italian-Americans in politics including Nancy Pelosi, the house minority leader and Andrew Cuomo, the New York governor.
SEE ALSO: Michelle Obama slays final state dinner with this stunning dressObama reminisced about the past eight years, and imagined what, exactly, his legacy would look like:
"The political ups and downs, the successes and the setbacks -- those things are fleeting,” Obama said. “What matters in the end is what we build. What matters is what we leave behind -- the things that will endure long after we are gone."
The president's speech further honored Italy, and used the country's architecture and literature as metaphors for the state of American politics:
"Tonight, we're reminded that American democracy has been graced by the touch of Italy," Obama said. "We look at the dome of the US Capitol and marvel at the touch of Brumidi. Yet some days our presidential campaigns can seem like Dante's Inferno."
On the menu for the evening were Batali-approved dishes including warm butternut squash salad, beef tenderloin layered with bresaola, green apple crostata with thyme caramel, and something literally called "pasta pillow."
Guest chef Mario Batali is wearing his signature orange crocs as he cooks at the White House for a state dinner tmrw pic.twitter.com/n8Qvf2ReQz
— Arlette Saenz (@ArletteSaenz) October 17, 2016
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was in attendance, as were Giorgio Armani, Gwen Stefani, and Jerry Seinfeld.
Chef @MarioBatali is here for the final State Dinner. On the menu: dishes like sweet potato agnolotti and beef braciole pinwheel. Mangia! pic.twitter.com/RziKQNkAxj
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 19, 2016
Renzi, who invited Obama to visit Italy and compared the White House tomatoes to ones grown in his home country, congratulated First Lady Michelle Obama on her work on the campaign, couching the nod in a subtle diss.
"Michelle, after last week let me be frank -- your speeches are better than your tomatoes," he said.
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