Ile Maurice: I was the head chef... of King Charles III

23 Septembre 2022
L'Express (Port Louis)

For nine and a half years ! I was responsible for the running and managing of all aspects related to the dietary requirements of His Majesty and family members.

This was a proud and unique time for me, being the first ever of Mauritian heritage to hold such a position within the Royal Household.

I oversaw the catering of the seven homes, for Prince William, Prince Harry, office of 140 staff members and charities, international tours and the development of Duchy original recipes.

I would personally write a daily 3three-course menu with options for His Majesty & Queen Consort Camilla using seasonal vegetables from the estate gardens and meat from the Duchy Farm, I would discuss the menu daily with Queen Consort Camilla or His Majesty.

His Majesty is an avid forager of mushroom, he would pick the mushrooms for me to use in the dishes he loved, all wild game came from the Scottish Estate or Sandringham Estate. Game shoots would begin with the Grouse season on the August 12. It was a tradition to have grouse every other day whilst the shooting season begun. I would cook the grouse in several ways, the traditional way with game chips, bread sauce, thyme infused bread crumbs to give texture, roast root vegetables and a port and juniper jus. His Majesty's favourite way of eating grouse, was grouse pudding, a recipe given to him by the late world renowned chef Antonio Carluccio.

Foundation of knowledge

His Majesty was adamant for me to be involved with the head gardener, in the yearly seasonal planting of vegetables and fruits. For a chef this was a unique foundation of knowledge being passed to me, with an insight of how to respect nature's seasons and most importantly to eat meat, game, fish, vegetables and fruits at its best. I produced our own cream from the raw organic milk off the Estate.

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His Majesty has been a phenomenal educator for the hospitality world. I accompanied his Majesty on several International tours and I would source ingredients locally; his Majesty felt strongly about this. I would organise and produce canapes for receptions, banquets, external lunches, dinners and on occasion cook on private planes. The challenge was having to adapt to changing circumstances, cooking in alien kitchens, mostly makeshift kitchens in side rooms. In India, due to the main kitchen being so far away from His Majesty's room; I had to work frm a makeshift kitchen set with two induction stoves, a small microoven in a side room, to cook daily breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner from. His Majesty was amazed and complimentary on how I was producing food from there.

I had the pleasure of cooking for the late Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh on several occasions. I have fond memories in particular, cooking for the entire royal family at the late Queens 80th Birthday at Kew Palace and 60th Wedding Anniversary at Clarence House. However, my most memorable and proudest memory was cooking for the imminent Royal Family at Castle Of Mey, a firm favourite of the late Queen Mother was Oeufs Drumkilbo. The late Queen Elizabeth II complimented me on how wonderful it was and to pass on my version of the recipe to her chefs!

As a Mauritian, I felt I needed to share my experience with the Royal Family with my fellow countrymen. Long live the King!

Visen ANENDEN

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