The prime minister’s delegation ordered a dish known to cause hallucinations if mishandled

Sir Keir Starmer’s official visit to China began with an unusual culinary twist after his delegation dined at a Beijing restaurant famed for serving hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Shortly after landing in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, the prime minister and his 140-person entourage visited Yi Zuo Yi Wang, a popular Yunnan cuisine restaurant in downtown Beijing known for its so-called “magic” mushrooms. The delegation booked out the entire venue and ordered several of the restaurant’s signature dishes, including jian shou qing, a mushroom variety that can have mind-altering effects if not prepared correctly.

Yi Zuo Yi Wang, which translates as In & Out, specialises in food from China’s south-western Yunnan province, where wild mushrooms are a celebrated local delicacy but are also known for their potential toxicity. Improper preparation of some varieties can lead to hallucinations, confusion and other neurological symptoms.

Staff at the restaurant were reportedly impressed by Sir Keir’s confident use of chopsticks during the meal. The visit proved so notable that the restaurant has since created a set menu in his honour. According to the restaurant’s manager, He Xiangming, future customers can now order the “Prime Minister’s Set Meal” to sample the same dishes enjoyed by the British delegation.

The meal included plum ribs, beef rolls with mint, and mushrooms with eggplant and black garlic. The restaurant said the set menu can be adapted to suit vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or nut-free dietary requirements.

Photographs of Sir Keir dining at the restaurant were shared widely, and Chinese state media reported that the delegation’s visit was marked with commemorative gestures. Each member of the delegation received a figurine of a flying horse crafted by a local artist, in recognition of the forthcoming Year of the Horse.

As the group posed for photographs, they collectively called out a traditional New Year greeting, to which Sir Keir responded in Mandarin with a clear expression of thanks. In one video posted by the restaurant, the prime minister is seen standing alongside staff members as they presented him with a woodblock print to mark the upcoming lunar new year.

The restaurant, located around ten minutes from the British embassy in Beijing, was chosen after being recommended by the UK’s ambassador to China. The manager said it was the largest group of foreign guests the venue had ever hosted and noted that almost all members of the delegation chose to use chopsticks despite being offered cutlery.

“The atmosphere throughout the meal was extremely lively, cheerful and relaxed,” he said, adding that the scene was highly unusual for the restaurant.

Yi Zuo Yi Wang later updated its online profiles to include a group photograph featuring the prime minister and its staff. On Chinese social media platforms, users shared images and videos of Sir Keir at the venue, praising him for embracing authentic Yunnanese cuisine.

While the first evening of the visit attracted significant attention, coverage of the remainder of the three-day trip was more subdued. On Thursday, Sir Keir held meetings with China’s president and premier in Beijing before travelling to Shanghai on Friday for discussions with business leaders.

During the visit, gifts were exchanged between the leaders. Sir Keir received a copper horse statue, three traditional flutes and a toy for his children. In return, he presented a football from a recent Premier League fixture.

Chinese state media described the visit as pragmatic and strategic, focusing on rebuilding economic ties between the UK and China amid wider global uncertainty.