A Brief History of White House State Dinners

Big Moment

The menu awaits Queen Elizabeth II at the state dinner held in her honor in 2007.
Ron Sachs / Corbis

Big Moment
The menu awaits Queen Elizabeth II at the state dinner held in her honor in 2007. "A state dinner is so much more like a Broadway play than a dinner," says former White House chef Walter Scheib. "People will be watching closely for Mrs. Obama's personal style."

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