Thomas Jefferson knew that food has the power to bring people together. With fine cuisine and wine, meaningful conversations flow, creating the perfect environment for cultural diplomacy. By hosting diverse guests around his dinner table, Jefferson championed the exchange of ideas.
Join Monticello in bringing culinary history forward and experience a dynamic event series, Culinary Diplomacy at Monticello. In partnership with The Culinary Diplomacy Project, we'll explore the intersection of history, food, and diplomacy, delving into how food has been—and continues to be—a bridge for better cultural understanding and communication.
For one night only, experience an unforgettable evening of dinner and discussion at Montalto with renowned chef Aarti Sequeira. Indulge in a meticulously crafted three-course meal including Monticello-grown ingredients, and learn more about food as a vehicle for diplomacy. This intimate dining experience offers a rare opportunity to savor history through food, all while enjoying breathtaking views from Jefferson’s high mountain. Limited seating is available.
Be part of this unforgettable journey through history, culture, and cuisine, and reserve your spot today!
Recommended for ages 21+
Ticket sales are final.
Dietary restrictions can be accommodated with advance notice; please contact events@monticello.org with requests.
VIP Dinner Ticket Option
This small-group experience will begin at 5:30pm and includes a pre-reception with the chef, as well as a signed copy of Dining at Monticello.
Meet the Chef
Aarti Sequeira, cooking show host, cookbook author, journalist, television producer and food personality likes to joke that her love of food began in the womb (she was a 10-pound baby) and shows no sign of abating!
Aarti is a mainstay on Food Network after winning season six of Food Network Star with her trademark combination of an infectious cackle and a unique signature food style: American favorites with an Indian soul.
In addition to hosting her own shows, Aarti Party, and the travel show, Hidden Eats, she also serves as judge on hit shows like Guy’s Grocery Games, Cooks vs. Cons, and Christmas Cookie Challenge. She also cooks alongside some of the best chefs in the country on the new show, Guy’s Ranch Kitchen. She co-hosted Drop 5 Lbs and has made numerous talking-head appearances on Best Thing I Ever Ate, Best Thing I Ever Made, and Unique Eats on Cooking Channel. A seasoned competitor (or glutton for punishment!), she also won Chopped All-Stars, Cutthroat Kitchen All-Stars, and Guy’s Grocery Games. Off-network, she has been a colorful, memorable repeat-guest on Today Show, CBS’ The Talk, Home and Family (Hallmark Channel), and Dr. Oz. She also penned a nationally-syndicated column for the Associated Press entitled “World’s Fare” in which she taught readers how to use ingredients in the international aisle in simple, weeknight dishes. A gifted writer, Aarti published her first cookbook, Aarti Paarti: An American Kitchen with an Indian Soul in 2014 (Grand Central).
Aarti is an ardent advocate for women battling postpartum depression, having overcome her own battle with it following the births of her two daughters, Eliyah and Moses. A passionate Christian, she also speaks to women of faith about overcoming fear and the sacred nature of breaking bread. She lives in Los Angeles with her children and husband, actor Brendan McNamara.
Born in India, brought up in Dubai, and educated in a British school, Aarti grew up against a varied tapestry of food cultures…from the homemade curries and flatbreads of her mother, to the spit-roasted shawarmas her family would enjoy every Friday. It was during the first Gulf War that Aarti decided to pursue a career in journalism, eventually earning her bachelor’s degree at Northwestern’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. She went on to work for CNN straight out of school, covering everything from economic reports to the plight of firefighters after 9/11. She also produced Sand and Sorrow, the HBO documentary about the genocide in Darfur, narrated by George Clooney and directed by Peabody Award-winner, Paul Freedman. After staging under James Beard Award-winner Suzanne Goin at Lucques, Aarti began shooting a YouTube cooking-variety show, Aarti Paarti, with her husband behind the camera. At the behest of said spouse, she sent an audition video to Food Network Star, and was immediately called in. The rest is history!
