It is a kitchen like no other, a towering cathedral to classical cuisine, both workhouse and work of art. Just walking into that vast, cool Windsor Castle Great Kitchen takes the breath away with its arched ceilings and fireplaces. They are big enough to roast a whole ox, the spits still very much intact. On the pristine white walls hangs a battalion of burnished copper stock pots, pans, jelly moulds and turbot kettles, some imprinted with the insignia of Queen Victoria. In alcoves sit metal ranges, while a metal-topped wooden table dominates the centre. On the far wall is a simple clock, above the inscription G.IV.REX 1838 to commemorate George IV’s renovation. Truly a kitchen fit for kings and queens alike.
Mark Flanagan, royal chef to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, says in Her Majesty The Queen: The Official Platinum Jubilee Pageant Commemorative Album: “History is everywhere here. It’s so inspiring to work in such a beautiful place. It has to be one of the greatest kitchens in the world.”
