Japanese PM stumbles over dessert served in shoe

Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu has been slammed over the “inappropriate” dessert served to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie.

To be fair, the shoes were not real but a Tom Dixon sculpture. Source: Instagram

Israeli celebrity chef Segev Moshe has served Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dessert in a shoe. The sweet offering was served up at Israeli leader Benjamin Natanyahu’s home during the Prime Minister’s recent visit.

An unnamed senior Israeli official acknowledged that it was an “insensitive decision” to serve dessert in a shoe.

“There is nothing lowlier than a shoe in Japanese culture,” he told Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot. “Not only do they not wear shoes at home, you also won’t find shoes in their offices. This is disrespect of the first order.”

A Japanese diplomat, also unnamed by the paper, pointed out that “There’s no culture in the world in which you put shoes on the table. What was the distinguished chef thinking?”

While he’s probably right about shoes on the table, it’s worth mentioning that the ‘shoey’ has a long and illustrious history here in Australia. Most recently, Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo has made the shoey a trademark, making headlines for tipping back celebratory Champagne from his sweaty boot. Over time, he’s convinced a variety of people to join him in a scull from his racing boot, including Mark Webber, Valentino Rossi and actors Gerard Butler and Patrick Stewart.

However, it is still difficult to imagine how Moshe’s team could conceive that a dessert shoe would be a good idea. The dessert itself was a delicious selection of chocolate pralines, served in two pairs of men’s black brogues. “If it was humour, we don’t think it is funny,” the Japanese diplomat scoffed. “We were offended on behalf of our prime minister.”

Moshe’s publicist was quick to note that the shoes were not real, but rather a sculpture by international artist Tom Dixon.

“This is a high-quality piece of art made of cast metal in the shape of a shoe; it is not a real shoe,” the publicist said in a statement. The publicist also pointed out that Dixon’s works are displayed in major museums around the world and for the “first time was displayed in Israel at a meal.”

Presumably also for the last time as well.