After a day spent debating the world food crisis, the 40 heads of government taking part in the UN food summit were rewarded with a banquet at a palazzo designed by Raphael.
The leaders sat down to dinner in the frescoed halls of the Villa Madama, a sprawling palace on the lower slopes of Monte Mario in Rome.
Robert Mugabe was not invited to the banquet, which was hosted by Silvio Berlusconi and Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general.
The Zimbabwean leader brought his own cadre of chefs and waiters with him to Rome, and installed them in the kitchen of the five-star Hotel Ambasciatori Palace, where he has a suite.
A source at the hotel said the Zimbabwean delegation had brought "crates" of African food with them and were dining in their rooms.
Earlier, the heads of government sat down to a decidedly more modest lunch than the one served at the 2005 food summit in Rome.
Delegates were served vol au vents with sweetcorn and mozzarella, paté of crevettes and pumpkin, veal with cherry tomatoes, spinach and then a fruit salad. More...
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