Eating like a diplomat

I was in Geneva to talk at a conference of mostly diplomats. A working lunch at a scientific conference usually means a hurried sandwich, so that's what I had in mind when the conference program listed lunch as a group. Imagine my surprise when every lunch at the conference turned out to be a three-course meal with two types of wine. The courses were quite fancy too: the salad, one day, for example was listed on the menu as "salad asiatique avec crepes legumeries" and this turned out to be a Thai-type salad served on a South Indian dosa. The fish was all fresh-caught, from Lac Leman. And the deserts well presented. The welcoming recption (celery and carrots at a scientific conference) turned out to have foie gras as part of a four-course meal. And the hors d'oevres on another day was duck and caviar. These diplomats certainly eat well.

After 3 days of this, United Airlines' food was a drastic fall to earth.