Former Royal Chef Reveals That the Family Members Don’t Eat a Lot of Food; They Never Have ‘Substantial, Loaded Plates’
It’s been said that members of the royal family have some strict and odd eating habits. One rule is that they cannot consume foods with garlic. That is to prevent bad breath during public engagements and official duties when meeting and talking closely with members of the public and foreign dignitaries.
Queen Camilla explicitly confirmed that guideline during an appearance on MasterChef Australia, stating that “garlic is a no-no” for official functions. Family members also steer clear of shellfish when traveling abroad to minimize the high risk of food poisoning or allergic reactions.
Another rule is that the royals eat all fruit with silverware. Instead of using their hands, they cut the fruit up with a knife and fork.
Now, someone who used to cook for the senior royals is sharing a few more surprising things about what they eat and how much of it they consume.
Visen Anenden is a professional private chef with a career spanning 25 years. He trained in Michelin-starred kitchens and was King Charles and Queen Camilla’s head chef for nearly a decade. He worked at estates like Highgrove House and Balmoral, managing seasonal, organic menus tailored to the king’s interest in sustainability.
Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Anenden told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that when he served King Charles, the monarch “would come in and speak to you about the menus. He, without a doubt, was extremely interested in what he eats — he’s a real foodie. He’s very seasonal, and everything comes from the estate. He always wants to know where something has come from, so menus were very particular. If it was game season, we would do a lot of game.
“I would write menus daily and speak to him and Queen Camilla on a daily basis. They were both interested in what they ate and where it came from. It was an amazing job and phenomenal working for them. You really do learn a good lesson, and it’s like an encyclopedia of learning about seasonality, vegetables, and organic meats. You really learn how the farm-to-fork aspect works, and it’s a phenomenal lesson for a chef.”
Anenden also shared what some of the king and queen’s favorite dishes were, but noted that they would never stuff themselves, explaining, “For King Charles, it was always a soufflé. He loved the soufflé. They were savory soufflés, and they were always served with a runny egg. Camilla’s personal favourite was always roast chicken or roast beef. She would usually have it on a Sunday, but it wouldn’t be a typical hearty roast dinner. For them, they would have two slices, roast potatoes, and very light Yorkshire puddings.
“The thing with the royals is that they don’t eat a lot. It was always small portions. It’s never substantial, loaded plates at all, never. They control their diet, and they’re conscious of how they look and present themselves. They’re very conscious of their diet … They all eat small portions. It can be to do with control. People like King Charles, because they have control over the food, that’s the only aspect of their life that they can control.”
