‘Trump platter, baked delicacies’: Traditional welcome in store for US president, first lady | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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‘Trump platter, baked delicacies’: Traditional welcome in store for US president, first lady

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
Feb 20, 2020 05:55 AM IST

Although the hotel staff was tight-lipped about the visit, Hindustan Times learns that the Trumps will stay at the Chanakya Suite on the Grand Presidential Floor of the hotel.

When they arrive in Delhi on the evening of February 24, US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who land in Ahmedabad the same morning, and will make a stop at Agra on their way to the capital, are expected to check into the ITC Maurya hotel at Chanakyapuri.

The Trumps are likely to receive a traditional Indian welcome on their arrival(Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Trumps are likely to receive a traditional Indian welcome on their arrival(Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Although the hotel staff was tight-lipped about the visit, Hindustan Times learns that the Trumps will stay at the Chanakya Suite on the Grand Presidential Floor of the hotel.

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An assortment of baked delicacies, personalized with a collage of photographs of the couple, is likely to await them in their Presidential Suite.

The Trumps are likely to receive a traditional Indian welcome on their arrival with a rangoli (a traditional Indian design drawn on the ground, especially during special occasions) made with flowers and eco-friendly material is being planned at the entrance. An elephant may figure in the decoration, one person familiar with the plan said, pointing out that it helps that the mascot of the Republican party is also a traditional Indian motif.

The Chanakya Suite spans 4,600 sq ft, costs around 8 lakh a night, and includes steam and sauna areas in addition to living quarters.

The Tyeb Mehta paintings and illustrations from the Arthashastra on the wall lend the traditional touch while the Villeroy and Boch crockery and Cristal De Paris glassware add a touch of global luxury. Previous occupants of the suite have included the Dalai Lama, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin, King Abdullah and the Sultan of Brunei.

The Presidential couple is expected to dine at the hotel’s Indian restaurant, Bukhara, known for its iconic Dal Bukhara and non-vegetarian delicacies. While the chef does not reveal what’s being cooked for a possible “Trump platter,” in keeping with the hotel’s tradition, traditional Indian sweets or mithai are going to be on the menu since Trump is known to have a sweet tooth.

The restaurant unveiled an Obama platter, named after US president Barack Obama , in 2010. The platter comprised tandoori jhinga, machhli tikka, murgh boti bukhara, reshmi kebab, sikandari raan , tandoori aloo, tandoori salad, dal bukhara, mixed raita and naan .

It also named a platter after Bill Clinton during the US President’s India visit in 2000.

The hotel’s kitchen is also sure to stock Diet Coke and cherry vanilla ice-cream, Trump’s self-confessed comfort cravings.

Trump’s packed itinerary in Delhi includes an open-press event at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Tuesday morning, followed by a visit to the Rajghat, a lunch meeting with Prime Minister Modi at Hyderabad House, and an early evening state banquet hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind.

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