Food and gifts on the G20 Summit eve

By Li Xing (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-03-29 18:59

London: UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his staff at No 10 Downing Street have attended to almost every small detail for the reception Brown will throw for his 19 guests of honor on Wednesday on the eve of G20 Summit here in London.

This is a gathering of heads of states or governments – including President Hu Jintao – from 20 developed and emerging economies, whose gross domestic product accounts for about 85 percent of the world.

They will meet on Thursday to discuss ways to get the world quickly out current economic recession and financial turmoil, enhance supervision over the financial market and reform existing international monetary systems.

The much repeated word for this light moment before the leaders enter into serious elaborations of each country's standpoints is economy, reflecting this time of economic austerity.

Thus, there will not be a lavish dinner as Brown had in Japan last year during the G8 Summit, which featured 18 different dishes from milk-fed lamb flavored with aromatic herbs and mustard accompanied by black truffles to wine and champagne flown in from France along with the best Japanese rice wine.

According to local media, Jamie Oliver, the British chef who rose to stardom with his show on TV, is leading his apprentices to prepare a working banquet of six courses.

Although Oliver has kept his menu secret, his spokesman revealed that pork would be excluded from the menu. It was reported that Oliver already discussed extensively with the embassy staff of the 19 countries and British diplomats for their approval of the ingredients.

Meanwhile, the gift list for the VIPs has also been revealed. This includes a men's tie, a candle, some chocolate and a tea towel.

Although the media call it "understated goodie bag", they will still showcase what Brown said "British creativity". The tie will be a design from one of three British tailors known as new generation Savile Row: Ozwald Boateng, Timothy Everest and Richard James. Brown himself wears bespoke suits designed by Everest.

The candle is from celebrity designer Kelly Hoppen while the chocolates from Rococo Chocolates, founded by Chantal Coady. The tea towel, meanwhile, is made by Ulster-based linen producer, Thomas Ferguson Irish Linen.

Despite the publicity for the "sober and austere" reception, the spending for the one-day G20 Summit is likely to run up as high as £20 million ($30 million) in tax-payers' money. Of that, some $8.7 million will go to policing and security for a week of demonstrations and rallies.

A breakdown of the budget for the G20 Summit:

$8.7 million: Policing and security

$2.55 million: Cost of renting the venue for the Summit at the ExCel center in Canning Town, East London

$11.1 million: Payment to WRG, the company running the event. Responsible for designing and constructing the conference hall, accreditation for thousands of delegates, media and broadcasting facilities and other measures to ensure the event runs smoothly.

$8.55 million: bill for cars to transport G20 leaders to and from the airport and official summit receptions. Also covers staffing of events, interpreters, hospitality and other "miscellaneous" costs.

Accommodation costs are paid by each individual nation.

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