Advertisement

What are the G8 leaders favourite foods and hobbies?

As Newstalk's Shona Murray discovered during the course of her report in Enniskillen, no stone wi...
Newstalk
Newstalk

17.28 10 Jun 2013


Share this article


What are the G8 leaders favour...

What are the G8 leaders favourite foods and hobbies?

Newstalk
Newstalk

17.28 10 Jun 2013


Share this article


As Newstalk's Shona Murray discovered during the course of her report in Enniskillen, no stone will be left unturned in an attempt to make the most powerful leaders on the planet feel comfortable in their new surroundings.

Obama, Putin, Cameron and co will be calling the Lough Erne Resort hotel home during the G8 summit, and as the 5 star hotel's manager Fergal Purcell revealed, the leaders tastes and hobbies must be catered for.

So what does President Obama like to eat, and what does Russia's action man President Vladimir Putin like to do in his spare time?

Advertisement

Barack Obama

Fuel for oratory

The US President likes a good cheeseburger with a little bit of Dijon mustard thrown in for good measure. But he also has a taste for healthier foods like brocolli and spinach.

His pallet has a global touch as he is said to enjoy Mexican and Italian dishes. However he also has a love for the flavour of his birthplace, Hawaii.

Hawaiian pizza and a Hawaiian Plate Lunch (scoops of rice, macaroni salad, and a meat dish) are among his favourites.

A keen golfer, Obama may be tempted to make full executive use of the resort's golf course, although he will have to head into Enniskillen town if he wants to indulge his love of basketball.

Vladimir Putin

Putin perfects the Catfishwalk

The Russian statesman likes to take his shirt off and show off his bare chest while he is filmed involving himself in all manner of physical activities.

Putin enjoys horse-riding, scuba-diving, is an honorary member of biker gang Hells Angels and has also driven a Formula 1 car although the backroads around Co Fermanagh are not really built for such a machine.

However with Lough Erne temporarily on his doorstep, he can indulge in his love of fishing. He may be forced to avoid going topless as Ireland's mini-heatwave begins to dissipate.

A black belt in judo, he may ask for some furniture to be moved aside and for sparring partners to be cherry-picked from the local population.

Is he as adventurous with his food? Not particularly. But despite Russia's tendency to experience sub zero temperatures, Putin loves a good ice cream so his dessert is sorted.

David Cameron

Cameron really, really enjoys coalition government

The British Prime Minister is said to have a taste for spicy sausage pasta, a recipe which he contributed to a charity cookbook. However he has revealed that his guilty pleasure is a big fry-up as well as a good roast and barbecue.

Like Putin and Obama, he does take part in healthy pursuits like cycling and jogging. He also makes a point of letting his political frustrations out on his tennis machine (affectionately called the Clegger after his Liberal Democrat deputy PM Nick Clegg), while his alleged love of karaoke may see leaders avoiding him like the plague.

Angela Merkel

Jurgen Klopp, sign her up!

There won't be enough world leaders present for a game of 5-a-side but the soccer mad Chancellor may twist a few of her fellow leaders down for a spot of 4-a-side.

Dog walking will not be on her agenda however, as she allegedly harbors a dislike for man's best friend.

So dog food will not be necessity. However, her own gastronomical requirements may be taken care of already as the East German native has admitted that she still hoards food 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

 

Francois Hollande

This Sunday's Scouting Report could see Hollande portrayed as the 'New Zidane'

The French President has been watching his weight of late, having shed 26 pounds in a bid to counter his image as an over-weight, middle-aged man.

Oddly for a Frenchman, he appreciates American cuisine, sharing a fondness for burgers with Obama. Does he want fries with that? Probably, although he certainly won't be referring to them as "freedom fries".

He also has a sweet tooth, with chocolate and pastries high on his list of favourites.

Holland does like sport however and is known to enjoy swimming, cycling and a spot of football. He is a supporter of Barcelona and the nouveau-riche AS Monaco whose tax money he may need.

Enrico Letta

Subbuteo is more politically useful than Bunga Bunga

We all know what Silvio Berlusconi's hobbies are. The new Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta is a little bit less "active".

In his spare time he is said to play table-top football game Subbuteo and likes to listen to British rock band Dire Straits as he tries to guide Italy towards financial stability.

He may invite Merkel to the Subbuteo table to repeat Italy's 2 - 1 win over the Germans at Euro 2012.

Stephen Harper

The Canadian Prime Minister may pack his large collection of vinyls which include AC/DC and The Beatles. He is also a noted singer and can play the piano which means David Cameron could have a karaoke partner after all.

Gastronomically-speaking he is said to enjoy spicy food. On a state visit to China, he made the news after ordering a cabbage served in a mustard sauce and soup-braised pork which was seen as an unusual combination by the Chinese media.

Shinzo Abe

Ice cream is the sweetest thing on his pallet

Japan's PM has stated that his favourite food has remained the same since childhood: Korean barbeque, ramen, ice cream, and watermelon.

Since he became Prime Minster he has taken care to eat as much rice, miso soup with clams, leeks and fermented soy beans.

Abe could be another Cameron recruit for a spot of karaoke as he is known to sing folk songs, although they tend to be of the Japanese variety rather than something by Mumford and Sons.


Share this article


Read more about

Music

Most Popular