Navy SEAL Team Helps Celebrity Chef Mario Batali Cook Obama's Final State Dinner

As it turns out, Batali was handpicked for this occasion by First Lady Michele Obama herself.

As Batali himself has remarked, it took him 56 years to prepare "emotionally" for this event, although actual preparations for the State Dinner held in honor of the official visit of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi only took about 2 months, according to the Eater.

In his culinary endeavor Batali was assisted by four members of his team from NYC, White House executive chef Cris Comerford, White House executive pastry chef Susan Morrison, and about 25 additional cooks.

"There are a dozen Navy SEALs downstairs making agnolotti (the first course) right now. They could probably take down a foreign power, so I have faith in their ravioli-making skills," Batali added.

The dinner’s menu incorporates some of Michelle Obama’s favorite foods, like sweet potatos, steak and broccoli, and was “chosen to highlight Italian dishes that have been "ingrained in American cuisine,” the Eater reports.

At the same time, Batali was instructed to use mainly American ingredients "because that’s the White House’s message."

The State Dinner of October 18 is the final state dinner of the Obama administration. It is being held in honor of the official visit of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini.