·
Welcome to Foodie Pantry! My readers would like to know what inspired
you to be a professional cook and a baker? · My mother was a fantastic cook and my father was amazingly green fingered,
so there was always wonderful fresh produce growing in the garden. As a child I
was fed delicious home-grown home-cooked food which had a big influence on me
and I loved being at my mother's side in the kitchen - learning from her and
helping her. The older I got the more I knew that I wanted to be a chef!
·
Who was your biggest culinary influence growing up? Definitely
my mother!
·
Did you attend any cooking academy and if so which one and where? Yes
- I attended the Tante Marie School of Cookery in Surrey.
·
How did you get into the professional side of cooking and baking? Whilst
I was at university I worked in a coffee shop and restaurant and then I spent a
ski season working in a hotel in Switzerland - this experience reinforced to me
that I wanted to. cook professionally.
· What is the new cookbook about and what inspired you to write
about it? . It
is a collection of 100 of my favourite recipes drawn from my childhood, my time
as a royal chef and from the present when as a mother I love cooking for my
daughters. It is a project that my mother and I discussed doing together, but
sadly we never got around to it so it is written in her honour.
·
You’re famously associated with the House of Windsor. How did you become
involved with them and when did HRH Prince Charles hire you? When I was at
cookery school I was invited to go to Kensington Palace for an interview with
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester - I worked for them for 2 years before
being hired by the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1989.
·
I see from your cookbook, you also knew Diana. Did you ever meet
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who is also famously known for her excellent
meals? I cooked for Princess Diana for 4 years and yes, I did also meet and
cook for The Duchess of Cornwall.
·
What were the prince’s favorite dishes and desserts? Prince Charles
loved dishes made from his home grown vegetables, and in the winter he enjoyed
game. Home-made ice cream and fruit from the garden was a favourite
dessert.
·
You also cooked for a young Prince William and a young Prince Harry.
What were their favorites growing up? The young princes enjoyed traditional
British food such as roast chicken , roast beef and Shepherds pie.
·
Have you cooked and baked for the latest generation of royals,
namely Prince George and Princess Charlotte? No.
·
And of course, the wives of Windsor, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Have you met them? No.
·
Did you ever cook or bake for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and the
Duke of Edinburgh? Yes I have.
·
I’m in the New York metropolitan area, where everything royal and
British is adored and admired. Have you ever thought of opening up a restaurant
or tea shop in Manhattan? I would love to open a tea shop, especially as
baking is my great passion. I had not thought of Manhattan as a potential
location, but I would never say never!
·
What is your advice to this upcoming generation of chefs? Choose your
produce and ingredients carefully, use local products wherever possible and
cook simply and in tune with the seasons .
·
And the last “I have to ask” question – what is your favorite savory
recipe? Your favorite sweet one? There are so many things that I love, but
the Pea and ham risotto in my book brings together my favourite Italian dish
with a very traditional English combination - Peas with ham. The sweet recipe
that springs to mind is my 'Coffee caramel pecan streusel
triangles' whch I created as a way of combining vanilla, coffee,
caramel and pecans my 'can't do without' sweet ingredients. Perfect served with
coffee or as a dessert.
Posts
