Welcome to the very first #MeridianReads, a weekly roundup of everything you should know to stay competitive during your water cooler chats at work. Don’t want to read the full article? That’s fine — we did it for you. The top three takeaways are below the link along with relevant work we’ve done. Sit back, relax and enjoy your new Sunday morning routine.
Inside the State Department’s international fashion show
Publication: Vox | By Rebecca Jennings (@rebexxxa)
- The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide hosted “Glamour and Diplomacy,” which celebrates contemporary designers from around the world.
- 22 countries were represented at this diplomatic fashion show, which was held inside the Harry S. Truman building. Nothing says glamour like a building constructed during World War II, right?
- What happened at this show? An opera performance, the wives of several ambassadors modeling garments from their respective countries, and plenty of snacking on foods from all over the world.
PS: check out this recap on our diplomacyXdesign celebration
The 2019 Embassy Chef Challenge
Publication: HBCUBuzz | By V Roberson 
- The 11th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge happened at the beginning of April. It featured chefs from all over the world presenting their most creative recipes to attendees from D.C.
- What was served? Guava brûlée pork belly, a surf and turf pumpkin soup, seafood pastila and plenty of other dishes that you can’t get, well, anywhere else.
- Who’d the judges pick to win the challenge? Chef Javon Cummings from Barbados, Chef Anuradha Wijesinghe from Sri Lanka and Chef Ron Johnson from the Bahamas. Booking a flight… now.
Diplomacy on the Dinner Table
Publication: The Diplomatic Courier | By Rong Qin
- Abu Dhabi is home to some of the most diverse cuisines in the world, so the Embassy of United Arab Emirates hosted a lunch for Meridian’s cultural influencer network to showcase that.
- The lunch featured a panel of foodies and cultural experts, including Hanan Sayed Worell, the author of the book “Table Tales: The Global Nomad Cuisine of Abu Dhabi”; Marjon Ajami, the Founder and Executive Chef of Nolu’s Group in Abu Dhabi; Bill Bragin, the Executive Artistic Director of The Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi; and Barbara Leaf, former U.S. Ambassador to the UAE.
- The main takeaway from the culinary celebration? Food isn’t just about food — it engulfs a region’s people, traditions, culture and more.
PS: Take a look at some of our highlights from the day
That’s all for this week! Tune in next Sunday for your weekly dose of #MeridianReads.
