King Charles is not a gourmand. Neither was his mother, who famously disliked the use of any seasoning and even salt. Charles is famously a finicky eater, and he has a lot of rules about food and when to eat meals (and which meals to avoid). I hate to say it, but Camilla seems like she knows a bit about food and drink, especially wine and spirits. Well, I don’t know whose idea it was, but for the Macrons’ state visit to the UK, Charles and Camilla brought in an outside chef, a French chef named Raymond Blanc, to prepare part of the state banquet. Meaning, Charles and Camilla apparently didn’t think the royal-household chefs were up to the job. This didn’t go over well with some people:
When Buckingham Palace announced the King had invited Raymond Blanc to join the royal chefs as they prepared for Tuesday’s state banquet in honour of French president Emmanuel Macron, a spokesman claimed it was an example of ‘L’Entente Cordiale in the Kitchens’. One horrified former royal cook has, however, declared, ‘Sacre bleu!’
Darren McGrady, personal chef to the late Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Princes William and Harry, claims that the King has grievously insulted his long-serving and loyal cooks by summoning Blanc, 75, who runs Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire.
McGrady says: ‘I get that Raymond Blanc is one of the best chefs in the world, and I get that he is a King’s Foundation ambassador, and I get that ‘the collaboration is in the spirit of Entente Cordiale’ but it’s a huge slap in the face to the palace royal chefs.’
He adds: ‘For sure, Macron will not be bringing in British chefs for a King Charles state visit to France.’
When the Palace announced Blanc’s involvement in the state banquet, a spokesman said he was invited to help ‘create the first course and dessert’. However, Blanc tells me he was asked to work on the main course, too. But he chose to leave that to Mark Flanagan, the Royal Household’s head chef. ‘I wanted to include Mark,’ says Blanc. ‘He’s a royal chef who’s cooked for the King for many years, plus he’s a great friend – it’s all part of respect. I could have done everything if I’d insisted, but Mark did a beautiful course – Rhug Estate chicken with British produce, with a beautiful tarragon sauce, a French way. It was a splendid occasion.’
Of McGrady’s gripes, Blanc says: ‘We all have an opinion – and I’ve got a different one. I like to bring people together.’
I mean… I actually “get” how this is insulting for the royal chefs – they’re thrilled when they get to prepare a state banquet, and they consider it a huge honor. McGrady is right that the French would never bring in a British chef to cook for visiting Windsors – the French would find that absurd and insulting to their chefs.
Incidentally, did you guys catch the details about the state banquet menu? Charles has an in-house mixologist who created a custom cocktail for the Macrons, a cocktail called L’entente: “It combines British gin with lemon curd and French pastis, garnished with dried French cornflowers and English roses.” A few British outlets compared the “dried flower” part to the Duchess of Sussex’s flower sprinkles. Sigh…
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
-
- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Brigitte Macron (R) is received by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Datchet Road on July 08, 2025 in Windsor, England. President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs Brigitte Macron visit the UK in the first visit State Visit made by France in 17 years. They are staying at Windsor Castle, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and a banquet will be held there in their honour. The Macrons will visit Imperial College, and the President will address Parliament during his stay.,Image: 1019687968, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
-
- King Charles III speaking at the State Banquet for President of France Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the French President’s state visit to the UK. Picture date: Tuesday July 8, 2025.,Image: 1019896100, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
-
- King Charles III (right) speaking at the State Banquet for President of France Emmanuel Macron (left) and his wife Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the French President’s state visit to the UK. Picture date: Tuesday July 8, 2025.,Image: 1019896965, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
-
- King Charles III speaking at the State Banquet for President of France Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the French President’s state visit to the UK. Picture date: Tuesday July 8, 2025.,Image: 1019897467, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
-
- The Princess of Wales (left) and King Charles III (right) at the State Banquet for President of France Emmanuel Macron (centre) and his wife Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the French President’s state visit to the UK. Picture date: Tuesday July 8, 2025.,Image: 1019897920, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
-
- King Charles III arriving for the State Banquet for President of France Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the French President’s state visit to the UK. Picture date: Tuesday July 8, 2025.,Image: 1019898127, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
-
- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Queen Camilla, King Charles III, President of France, Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron attend the State Banquet at Windsor Castle on July 08, 2025 in Windsor, England. President Emmanuel Macron and Mrs Brigitte Macron visit the UK in the first visit State Visit made by France in 17 years. They are staying at Windsor Castle, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and a banquet will be held there in their honour. The Macrons will visit Imperial College, and the President will address Parliament during his stay.,Image: 1019898264, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
-
- The Princess of Wales (left) and King Charles III (right) at the State Banquet for President of France Emmanuel Macron (centre) and his wife Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the French President’s state visit to the UK. Picture date: Tuesday July 8, 2025.,Image: 1019898485, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
-
- Queen Camilla, King Charles III with France’s President Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte arriving for the State Banquet for President of France Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the French President’s state visit to the UK Featuring: Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 08 Jul 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Well I think it was a nice collaboration to have a French chef to help prepare the meal with his expertise with French food. The guests they were trying to please were French so I really don’t see the problem with bringing in a French chef to help with the meal.
Why should we serve French food to a French visitor? Surely we offer the best of British?
The belief that we have no good food in the UK is rubbish.
No one has suggested that you have no good food in the UK—but “French cuisine” is a global thing, while “British cuisine”… not so much. When hosting French guests, a British monarch might very well choose to display how resourceful he is by impressing his guests with the quality of French cuisine he can provide, prepared by a French chef.
Agree with this. I think it shows respect for French culture.
McGrady’s a salty blabber mouth if this is the same bloke who dissed Meghan and is the go-to “ex royal chef” person just because he created hamburgers for Willy and Harry when they were kids.
Under QE2’s time, the menus were written in French so I see nothing wrong in having a French chef during a French state visit. France is lauded for its cuisine – both in cooking and teaching – so if you’re going for the best and to impress the guest, the French input is expected. Chuck might be sick of his in-house chefs and wanted a change which says more about the quality of his staff.
I think it was a very smart and nice gesture. Let’s face it, the British are not known for their “cuisine”. Once you’ve eaten the usual fare you quickly realize why there are so many Indian food restaurants in the UK. Thank goodness those curry restaurants are fabulous!
Some of the best chefs in the world are or have been British. No one’s talking about local take away foods, that’s a bit rude.
I agree no other country would do that. It’s offensive to the palace chefs who aren’t the local curry house or fish /burger flippers.
I do think the menu was basic (all the courses). I’d make that for a dinner and I have 🤣🤣🤣
Flower sprinkles! They are obsessed with her and always will be. As for the French chef? Wasn’t there a somewhat similar plot-line like this in the Gilded Age?
McGrady is an obnoxious loudmouth that’s been living in Texas for decades, dining off Bon mota about Diana and the boys and on the tabloid payroll. He was pro Harry until Meghan and went the full
Anti Sussex.
Yes, Darren McGrady is a nobody holding on to his past working experience at the Palace to feel self-important.
Chef Raymond Blanc is a LEGEND in culinary world. He also made a UK TV series about KC3’s Royal Gardens, so he knows Charles personally.
The purpose of the State Dinner is diplomacy. UK wants favorable trade deals with France. Complaining about using a French chef for part of the course was just petty.
This is a nothingburger its smart diplomacy, I think Blanc had restaurants in the UK. It’s no different than what previous US Presidents have done where they occasionally invite a guest chef to prepare a state dinner.
This is what I came here to say, it’s false outrage. Raymond Blanc is a huge part of the British food scene, his restaurants are here! This is a great nod to British/French alliances.
He was just brought in to help, not plan and prepare the whole meal.
I sort of collect vintage cookbooks, and just a few days ago I found Gourmet’s “Basic French Cookbook,” which was published in 1990. Gourmet already had an all-round basic cookbook that pre-dates this one. There are a number of comprehensive French cookbooks published for English-speaking audiences, more than for any other cuisine aside from American. I own about 200 cookbooks and that’s the pattern I’ve seen. Southern American cuisine is probably the next most popular in terms of regional or international cookbooks.
French cuisine, and knowing how to prepare it, has been “de riguer” in Western countries at least for so long that it is considered pretty fundamental, no? Julia Child was a huge influence on our kitchens going back to the mid 20th century, not just her books but her TV show. But I think the Anglo-American world’s embrace of French cooking pre-dates that.
I think Charles was just trying to be a good host. But maybe if I were British I’d feel differently.
And there’s Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I collect cookbooks, too – I have vintage one in Greek by a famous Greek chef, Tselemendes, which contains many French cooking techniques and recipes.
McGrady’s work with the Royal Family was literally decades ago – he’s been living in the US for nearly 30 years. He very much capitalises on his royal connections which is why he’s always so keen to get himself in the papers.
Raymond Blanc is very well known in the UK, where he’s both lived and worked since the early 1970’s. It’s not like they flew him in from France. He has his own TV shows in the UK and also champions British produce – and it appears he actually shared the honours with a Royal chef at this occasion. So I really don’t get what McGrady’s issue is.
Pay day for McGrady. He’s on retainer, a rent-a-quote.
“For sure, Macron will not be bringing in British chefs for a King Charles state visit to France.l
— Well, yes, for one thing, there’s no global phenomenon known as “British cuisine”, like there is “French cuisine”.
I don’t understand. Raymond Blanc has lived and worked in the UK for 50 years, he runs a hotel in Oxfordshire that has 2 Michelin stars, he’s got an OBE, he’s been on UK TV forever, he trained any number of British chefs. He’s pretty much the epitome of “l’entente.”
I get that the palace chefs might be miffed that a chef from outside was brought in, but not that he’s a “French chef.”
That’s literally the plot of one of the Downtown Abbey movies — the household cooks and staff don’t get to prepare the big celebration meal for the visiting king. (Except, spoiler alert, they do)
I remember it from The Gilded Age (same writer, Julian Fellowes) because this is literally a huge plot point from series 1, where the parvenu Lady brings in a chef from the old stuffy House of Biddies across the street. Hilarity ensued!
What I’m really side eyeing is the combination of gin and Pastis…I love both, but together? ugh. And chicken no matter the good cut (the “supreme”) and how lovingly prepared reads as cheap to a Francophone. Should have been magret canard (duck breast) or delicate veal in sauce, something more elite and elegant for French guests, let alone the French PM but at these events it’s not about the food so whatever
Raymond Blanc is a wonderful chef and has been in Britain for a long time. He is clearly happy to collaborate with the palace chefs, I don’t see an issue here. McGrady has been living off his Diana/royal association for too long. It’s like Burrell, they come out to spout off and make some money when they don’t really know what they’re talking about anymore.
“disliked the use of any seasoning and even salt.”
Well, a new nugget, flavorless like herself.
Obviously, now, alcohol hasn’t been the King’s friend and it’s a shame to see him put his dried corn flowers to such use.
I just think that tablescape is a mess.
This an ex-royal chef who’s still riding on the fact that he used to work for Princess Diana. Have the actual royal chefs said that they were offended?
Why would you put pastis in a fr*aking cocktail ?! It goes with nothing.