A UN Ambassador Discussed Her Theory Of 'Gumbo Diplomacy' With José Andrés

When President Joe Biden was elected in 2020, Linda Thomas-Greenfield was one of his first choices for his Cabinet. Her appointment as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations followed a 35-year career with the U.S. Foreign Service, which she retired from in 2017. Since stepping into the new role, she's popularized a new phrase that she coined during her globe-trotting days: gumbo diplomacy. 

Having been born and raised in Louisiana, Thomas-Greenfield is no stranger to the state's official dish. In a true testament to the maxim that food has the power to bring people together, she's long used her gumbo recipe as a means of forming bonds across borders. 

"Wherever I was posted around the world, I invited people of different backgrounds and beliefs to make homemade gumbo," she said in her nomination acceptance speech. "It was my way of breaking down barriers, connecting with people, and starting to see each other on a human level." The ambassador explained the concept further in an Instagram Live video hosted by Spanish-American chef and humanitarian José Andrés.

José Andrés has never been just a chef, restaurateur, and travel show host. In 2015, he was honored with the National Humanities Medal, which celebrates individuals that reflect an "understanding of ourselves, our history and our culture," by former President Barack Obama. More recently, Andrés and his World Central Kitchen staff have provided millions of meals to the people of Ukraine — and many other parts of the world — who have been displaced by war and hunger. 

Suffice it to say, Andrés and Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield couldn't agree more on the correlation between food and community. "Food diplomacy, in this moment, is more important than ever," he said in an Instagram Live interview with Thomas-Greenfield, who agreed. 

"[Gumbo diplomacy] is taking food directly to the people," she said. "The people know that the world has not forgotten them in their time of need."

If your mouth is watering at the thought of a simmering pot of gumbo made with the "trinity" of celery, bell peppers, and onions, there's no shortage of gumbo recipes to choose from. But if you ask Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, you don't need to go by the book. 

When The Washington Post asked her for her recipe, she told the outlet that she didn't have one. She learned to make the dish by watching her family in the kitchen, not by reading from a cookbook. "Each time I make gumbo, it's different," she said to the outlet. "No two gumbos are alike, and that goes for others who make gumbo, as well."

With that in mind, she does have some preferences. "Do not use tomato paste or sauce. I hate red gumbos," she said, adding that the dish should "have a nice brownish color" instead. While she may not cook from it each time, she shared an "old-school" recipe for chicken, sausage, and shrimp gumbo with the Post. Make it for a big group, invite new friends, and let it guide the conversation.