What Justin Trudeau Really Eats

It must be hungry work running a country as complex and expensive as Canada. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau knows all too well just how much energy it takes to keep the political machine humming along. His taste for a variety of domestic and international fair has been well documented during his time in office, making appearances on his social media feed and showing up in newspapers and journals around the world. It's enough to stir the curiosity about what world leaders eat in a day, when they have literally every type of cuisine on the planet at their disposal.

With such a visible chronicle of Trudeau's eating habits in plain view, it's easy to assemble a rundown of the things this busy politician indulged in during his time in office. Sometimes he cozied up with pub food sat across from other high calibers, other times he made a public appearance with followers at a fast food joint. No matter where he's dining, Prime Minister Trudeau always seems to enjoy a hearty bite and happy times. And as one of the most recognized political figures of his time, his visits to the best food around always make the headlines as fellow guests and eaters share a moment with Canada's ex-top dog. Read on to find out what Justin Trudeau really eats.

Not only is Trudeau a fan of hot wings, he's a brave enough barite eater to take his chances with the ultra-fiery fare on Hot Ones Quebec, the French-Canadian counterpart of the smash YouTube series. U.S. host Sean Evans hands the reins over to Canadian host Marc-André Grondin, who puts the fire to the feet of Canada's primary leader while serving up some of the spiciest sauced wings on the planet. Unless you're fluent in French, you may not be able to keep up with the conversation without subtitles. But the fun of the episode is seeing a world leader take bite after bite of chicken wings soaked in ever-more scorching hot sauce.

How up for this eating challenge is Trudeau? In the video, he shows no hesitation for the challenge and dives right into a volcanic slather called Da' Bomb, rated 135,600 on the Scoville scale. While he admits after the first bite that he likes things spicy, he also starts to feel the heat pretty quickly. Aside from demonstrating that Justin Trudeau can get gnarly with bar food made to burn a human tongue to a crisp, it also shows a very relatable side of a leader known for his down-to-earth nature, even when his eating habits overshadow his political leanings as the topic of the moment.

We've all eaten on the run, when the only thing available might not be the healthiest choice, but it is one that is bound to bolster our energy reserves. As a busy politician caring for an entire nation, Justin Trudeau has proven he's just like one of his citizens by grabbing a bite as he rushed into a session in the House of Commons. In a video of the incident, conservative MP Scott Reid rises to call out violations of the rules regarding eating in the chamber, noting that Mr. Prime Minister appeared to be hiding a bagel in a previous session. The call-out causes the room to erupt in cheer and jeers as a bit of chaos ensues.

Ever the diplomat, rather than shying away from controversy or attempting to minimize his faux pas, Trudeau stands to clarify that it was a chocolate bar and not a bagel, issuing an apology for not adhering to the rules of the chamber. The moment was even noteworthy enough to appear as a clip on the Global News YouTube channel. Rather than shaming the leader for his indiscretion with chocolate, it humanizes the political world and the struggle we all go through to keep things at work in check without letting ourselves getting hangry — even if it means sneaking bites of cheap chocolate bars at our desk.

Justin Trudeau appears to keep an open palate and a sense of culinary curiosity, and this led him to try a Caribbean street food favorite called doubles. Making an appearance on the Instagram account Black Foodie Co., the world leader was introduced to this earthy treat by host Eden Hagos, whose enthusiasm and excitement for doubles is infectious. Trudeau stopped by as a promotion for the Toronto Caribbean Carnival and ended up being treated to luscious layers he couldn't wait to try.

A hearty sandwich-like creation that originated in Trinidad and Tobago, doubles consists of layers of curried chickpeas piled onto fried flatbreads called bara and topped with cucumber chutney, tamarind sauce, and pepper sauce for a kick of island heat. Though doubles is mostly enjoyed at breakfast time in its native region, this hearty bite can also be savored as a satisfying snack. Watching the sandwich come together and adding his own sauces, Trudeau eventually takes a bite that leaves him speechless ... of course, he's chewing at the time, but his emphatic expression says that this is one tropical treat Canadians should be ecstatic to have access to.

The name White Spot Burgers might not be as familiar to Americans as it is to Canadians, but when a prime minister makes an appearance at a popular burger joint, more of the world takes notice than usual. But in British Columbia, White Spot has been a player on the burger scene since 1928, a sort-of pre-McDonald's foundational fast food for the region. The menu is chockablock with deli fare, snacks and salads, delicious diner dishes and more. But what Canada's former top politician opted for over all of that were White Spot's classic stacked patties.

During a 2021 visit to the company's Coquitlam location, Justin Trudeau sat at an outside table with Premier John Horgan to chow on burgers while chewing the fat, creating a high-voltage photo op in the world of Canadian politics. The conversation centered around providing $10 child care to Canadians, and of course the visit provided an opportunity to mix and mingle with White Spot diners as they placed their orders. A busy world leader could have easily gotten his order to go, but maybe Trudeau knows that burgers always taste better at a restaurant than in a stuffy prime minister's office.

When it comes to fast food possibilities, Justin Trudeau took interest in Jollibee Chicken, a Filipino fried chicken chain making its way across Canada with its unique take on easy eating. During a visit to Manila, Trudeau made his way to the outlet and did far more than just order some of the restaurant's popular chicken to go; he also spent time taking photos with patrons and staff, engaging freely as customers surrounded him and the whole crew gathered around for an oversize group shot. It almost looked like he was serving up his own order when he hopped behind the counter to hang with the staff. Fortunately, he was only getting them together for a selfie and wisely left the food service to the professionals.

With his tendency to frequent fast food restaurants in various regions of the world, is it possible Justin Trudeau is just another politician obsessed with fast food? Or is there something special about reaching people where they are by joining them in a restaurant where the food is affordable and tasty — something that helps soften your image and make you feel available to the public no matter where you go? The untold truth of Jollibee may be that it bridges the gap between leaders and the led with food pleasing enough to draw the attention of some of the biggest movers and shakers in the world.

The urge for something sweet and old-fashioned sometimes leads the ex-P.M. to ice cream counter classics like the Strawberry Fizz, another indulgence undertaken during his trip to Jollibee. The chain is still making its name known in the U.S., but if Justin Trudeau's taste for this fruit-filled treat is any indication, it won't be long before the Sonic-style slurps are in the hearts and on the tongues of fast-food fans everywhere.

What's in a strawberry float at Jollibee? An Instagram post from Jollibee Brunei shows a rich red slush topped with a twisted swirl of whipped cream with the official name Strawberry Fizz. The collection also includes Sparkling Lemon Lime and Fruity Mango Peach. The soothing sweetness is a great foil for the crispy fried chicken Trudeau enjoyed with his order, though a Strawberry Fizz float looks like it could stand up on its own as a drink to be enjoyed by world leaders and their followings. Canada's premier food fan really seems to know what's good.

On a sunny summer's day in 2019, Justin Trudeau touched down in London, Ontario for a bit of PR and settled in at Old South Village Pub to meet with candidate Peter Fragiskatos and rub shoulders with several of his constituents while enjoying dinner. As with most moments in the world of politics, the visit extended beyond food into flesh-pressing territory, with the Canadian leader taking time to high-five younger visitors and chat it up with the adults in the room.

While in London, Trudeau and Fragiskatos also dropped into Fireside Grill to enjoy what look like some of the largest burgers in the province. Afterward, he charmed the crowds and circulated through the eatery, proving that a re-energizing meal can do wonders for an on-the-go politico who always seems to know where to find something good to eat, no matter where he lands. And if it happens to come with a little public exposure and a photo op that keeps his image as a man of the people visible, then that's great, too.

It's a popular culinary form throughout the world, so it's no surprise that Justin Trudeau works Japanese cuisine into his dining practices. And if that cuisine happens to be in Canada instead of Japan, then it's sure to save taxpayers quite a bit in travel expenses! Fans snapped sneaky pics of Trudeau having a family meal at Sakura Garden in Montreal. According to the reviewer who posted it on TripAdvisor, this restaurant is one of Trudeau's favorites for dining when visiting Montreal. 

Which of the amazing Japanese foods does the former top Canadian pol prefer? At a 2019 meeting with former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Trudeau professed his adoration of sushi, though he joked that he "loved Chinese food" when saying it, a humorous reference to errors he'd made the previous week, confusedly calling Japan "China." Some social media commenters were quick to point out that sushi's origins are in China, helping Trudeau save face and schooling readers on the heritage of one of the most popular foods in the world of Japanese cuisine.

In one of his more luxurious outings, the ex-prime minister took a seat at the creative Vij's, a premium Vancouver eatery that was thrilled to receive their top dignitary. Owners Meeru Dhalwala and Vikram Vij hosted Justin Trudeau during a 2016 visit to the Canadian metropolis. Vij's is said to be one of the ex-prime minister's favorite restaurants, and the couple were more than pleased to have him at their table for a specially-chosen meal, Vij's Monarch Butterfly. This mix of squash and mushrooms robed in a saffron-infused coconut curry sounds like a deluxe vegetarian dish that shows off a gourmet presentation using ingredients familiar to Indian cuisine given a more social undertone.

Despite what the name seems to clearly state, there are no actual butterflies included in this dish. Instead, it's a colorful tribute to the vast array of butterflies whose numbers have dwindled due to climate change over the decades. Though the visit was declared to be entirely for entertainment's sake and not at all political in nature, Dhalwala was quick to explain that the message in the beautiful culinary creation was a statement of natural beauty rather than a political observation. Trudeau also enjoyed lamb popsicles, a creation that had him belly-laughing for undisclosed reasons (though photographs of the visit do show him raising a glass of something wine-like, which may have added to the humor).

It may be steak and potatoes that create a dining match made in heaven, but what self-respecting world class leader wouldn't incorporate lush dishes like steak and oysters into his menu? And if you're going to have a dinner so sumptuous, you might as well invite another political luminary to sit across the table from you and enjoy it with you. When Justin Trudeau and Barack Obama shared a table at Liverpool House in Montreal, the spread was set with steak and oysters, a supreme selection that spared no expense.

According to restaurant owner David McMillan, the meal also included shrimp, spaghetti lobster, and halibut. A sweet finish-up with strawberry shortcake put a bow on the two leader's face-to-face discussion regarding strategies for getting young leaders more active in their communities. Another favorite haunt for Trudeau, he advised the former president to "let them do what they do" as far as the food was concerned. It sounds like they had a banquet to enjoy, courtesy of Trudeau's sharp sense for great food.