Gastroparallels

Tell me how you eat, I’ll tell you how you do business…and diplomacy

Warning: this article calls upon a « conversation » with Grok which may be more enticing than the article itself. The author kindly asks that you consider this article in full, as a dinner, and not walk out in the middle in order to go dine with Grok.

Biztronomy is about business and gastronomy. It is about combining the pragmatism of business with the art of sharing. It’s linking the art of the deal with the art of the meal.

But if there is another realm that makes good use of culinary culture, it’s diplomacy. And currently, business and diplomacy seem to be walking hand in hand. Just think of the subject of rare minerals, and I don’t mean the ones you find in your plate.

To my point, while discussing the subject of gastronomy in business with Kilien Stengel (1), somehow the topic of gastrodiplomacy (2) intermingled with the first and we found ourselves in need of clarification to untangle both subjects.

Reflecting on this spontaneous convergence, I concluded there could be some similarities and that by extrapolation, we could maybe even anticipate what our volatile world had in store for us by simply reading the bottom of the plate, or the paper wrap. Some might look into words and actions to obtain a hint on a coming policy or decree. At Biztronomy, we look at the way people eat.

After all, if I can address these questions, it is because I attained great business successes over a few glasses of wine, or found myself ovally rejected stuck on the stool of a company canteen by a disgruntled prospect, or delighted customers towards hearty sales with fine dining. Sure, I’ve never discussed a territorial withdrawal over pulled pork or blown away a nation with a soufflé. But, considering my gastrodiplomatic credentials as world promoter of French Gastronomy, we’ll assume I’m certified for the following entertaining gastroparallels.

Now for starters, can we effectively compare business and diplomacy? One could assume this question holds some relevance in the current state of the world. Is haggling over a few percentage points the same as bickering over a few square miles? In an élan of faith, I called upon Grok to give us a few insights on the parallels between corporations and states :

« (Though there are similarities)…The mechanics differ, though. Companies live or die by contracts and cash flow, so their moves—say, a hostile takeover or a joint venture—are fast, transactional, and legally bound. States, meanwhile, wield sovereignty, so their interactions lean on diplomacy, treaties, or force, with slower burn and higher stakes. » (see full texte below)

To summarize, one is in it for the long run, the other for a hit and run. One is about identity, the other is about royalty. Marathon, sprint. Gastronomy, fast-food.

In both cases though, it boils down to negotiation which itself is a spectrum between a take it or leave it approach or a reasoned "win-win" approach. At one extreme, the total servings are always less than what was in the presentation plate because a lot is lost during the distribution, like people fighting over a box of fries where they fly all over the place. At the other extreme, after hours of talking and dinning, participants somehow manages to make 3 servings out of 1+1.

In the first scenario, you dig in your heels and the trenches and you leverage all the power you have. This type of exchange can usually be accomplished over a milk shake as it is a my way or the Milky Way, we don’t usually share a savvy wine for hours on end in this case.

In the second scenario, you see some form of potential for creative growth and you give yourself the time to find the synergies, in which case you entertain over long lunches and elaborate dinners.

Ideally, a chief negotiator needs to understand both styles and use them appropriately depending on the situation. Of course, we all have a predominant negotiation style just as we have a predominant eating style. But it happens some of individuals have a limited range of diets and eating habits.

This begs the question. Is one’s propensity to be satisfied by a quick fast-food meal what induces the negotiation approach, whatever the market or country potential, or is it simply adapted to a perceived situation of limited opportunities to build win-win situations?

In any event, you don’t implement your strategy, whether diplomatic or business, based on your dining preferences.

Some may consider that the world, as it stands, has little to bring through active listening and reasoned negotiation. In which case, a quickie with a drive-thru-their-agreements can do the trick. And others may consider that all is a question of patience, effort and win-win exchanges.

Burger Diplomacy according to Grok

The fact of the matter is that we know how some people do business and there are great similarities with the way they eat or do diplomacy. Hit and run, collateral costs are passed onto others.

Just as there are others who don’t understand that not everyone loves gastronomy and that not all meals can be refined and time-consuming, especially if a part of the population feels excluded from this adventure.

So, indeed, eating habits can probably give a good indication as to your business or diplomatic conduct. And if you can't enjoy a take-out at noon and a fine dinner in the evening, then you may be reducing your options.

But a new element is bringing in a new twist. It turns out this mixed bag of eating, business and diplomacy actually coincide and align with an evolving feature of direct digital engagement by leaders at home and abroad. It allows to change the diplomacy « mix » by talking directly to the « masses » and engage, beyond your own core voters, with the masses of the world.

And you can do this with a burger, and maybe only a burger. Because after all, if the Big Mac index goes haywire over the coming weeks, the home grown burger seems to be the last of prized consumer artefacts to ever be affected by trade tarifs (just stay away from the Egg McMuffin!).

In this sense, the US President may be reinventing business and diplomacy through what is know as Gastrodiplomacy.

Philippe Cartau

(1) Renown gastronomy specialist in France, head of la Villa Rabelais

(2) Gastrodiplomacy - We will delve into this concept in our next article and notably how it was coined by Paul Rockower.

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Beginning of conversation with Grok:

Philippe : Grok, is the quality of your gastronomy related to your state capability to reach diplomatic deals?

Grok : The image of a president chowing down on McDonald's might not scream "haute cuisine," but it’s a fun angle to chew on—does a nation’s culinary game reflect its diplomatic chops?

There’s no hard data tying gastronomic quality directly to deal-making prowess, but the idea’s got some flavor. Countries like France, with its Michelin-starred reputation, have long used food as a soft power flex—think state dinners that leave you woozy with wine and goodwill. The U.S., with its burger-and-fries stereotype, still wields plenty of influence, though maybe it’s less about refinement and more about relatability.

The American Chef Corps was built on this notion: showcase diversity—everything from BBQ to fusion tacos—and you’ve got a tasty metaphor for a melting-pot nation. But if the new administration’s leaning into a McNugget vibe, it might signal a shift toward pragmatism over polish. State capability in diplomacy isn’t about the food itself—it’s about what it signals. A lavish meal can grease the wheels of a trade talk, sure, but so can a casual Big Mac shared over a handshake. Japan’s sushi diplomacy and Italy’s pasta politicking work because they’re authentic to their brand, not because they’re inherently "better" than a drive-thru.

On the flip side, if your gastronomy’s seen as low-effort, it could hint at a broader lack of investment in cultural nuance—something diplomats might notice. The U.S. has the resources to flex either way; it’s just a question of whether they’d rather plate up a filet mignon or a Happy Meal. What do you think—could a McDonald’s-centric approach actually charm foreign leaders, or is it a diplomatic whopper of a mistake?

Good Grok, I see your humor level is still at a whopping 80%! Keep it up! To answer your question, I think there are two kinds of negotiation with a whole spectrum of degrees between both. On the one hand, you have positional negotiation which corresponds to a rapport of strength, take it or leave it approach. On the other, you have reasoned negotiation, which implies exchanging information and trust to make 1+1=3. A quick gulp of a burger suits positional negotiation while as a long and structured meal is more favorable to constructive negotiation. What do you think?

Thanks for the humor nod—80%’s my sweet spot, keeps things zesty without overcooking it! You’ve nailed a juicy distinction here: positional vs. reasoned negotiation. I’d say you’re spot-on with the burger-to-banquets spectrum. A fast McDonald’s run screams "here’s the deal, sign it or starve"—it’s efficient, no-nonsense, and leans into that raw power vibe. You’re not lingering over fries to build trust; you’re flexing dominance, maybe even signaling you don’t need to impress.

Then there’s the slow-roast, multi-course meal—perfect for reasoned negotiation. It’s a dance: amuse-bouche to break the ice, entrée to swap stories, dessert to seal the synergy. Time and care signal investment, like "we’re here to make this more than a zero-sum game." France mastered this—de Gaulle once said diplomacy’s half table manners, half strategy. A good Bordeaux can loosen tongues and turn rivals into partners.

The U.S. could play either card. A Big Mac blitz might intimidate a weaker player into a quick yes, but it risks alienating folks who value the long game—like, say, China with its banquet diplomacy. Meanwhile, a chef-crafted spread could win over a wavering ally, though it might look soft to a hardball opponent. Depends on the room and the stakes. What’s your hunch—would the current administration lean burger or banquet, given the DOGE efficiency push?

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Grok conversation - Gastroparallels.pdf

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