As the former head chef to King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, Visen Anenden knows the ins and outs of the Royal Family’s sometimes peculiar eating habits. Anenden, who worked for The King for just under a decade, says that while Charles is heavily into seasonal and organic foods, his wife is more willing to try new dishes than the rest of the family.
When asked who the most adventurous eater was out of the Royal Family, the former palace employee shares that “Charles is adventurous in terms of British, Italian and Spanish—all very European foods. But when it came to trying different things, I would say Camilla was more open minded.”
Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Anenden says that Queen Camilla “was quite open when it came to food,” especially when traveling abroad, but that The King also tried regional specialties. “On tour, they would be happy to try the local dishes that were cooked by a local chef, who was guided by us,” Anenden says.
Although he says that King Charles is “not at all” a fan of spicy food, and neither is Camilla, they both like kedgeree, a rice dish featuring fish, eggs and curry powder. “I used to make it how my gran used to make it for me,” Anenden shares.
Although King Charles doesn’t like spicy food, Anenden says the monarch was always courteous of local customs.
“I always remember when we went to India, and one of the chefs in the hotels wanted to cook for him,” he shares. “Charles was really open-minded about it and let him cook for them. He had Indian food there, tasted it, and thanked the chef. He was willing to accommodate, which is quite amazing.”
However, one thing both Charles and Camilla avoid is carbonated beverages. When asked if they ever indulge in fizzy drinks, Anenden says, “No, never! It was a no-go. Only the staff had fizzy drinks, but for them, no way.”
