The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Royal chef rustles up classics for guests
Much of the seasonal British produce is coming from the Queen’s own estates
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding reception guests will be served classic dishes made from seasonal British produce – much from the Queen’s own estates.
Harry and his bride-to-be have tasted and selected their wedding reception menu, which will be created by staff from the royal kitchens at Windsor Castle in the coming days.
Royal chef Mark Flanagan is leading the team who on Saturday will put the finishing touches to the canapes and bowl dishes being served during the afternoon event hosted by the Queen in the castle’s St George’s Hall.
Mr Flanagan said: “The day of the wedding has fallen very kindly for us.
“All the British vegetables are just coming into season... and that’s been a point of focus for us.
“We know the couple wanted us to make sure we used all of the local seasonal produce as much as possible throughout their menu, and this recent good weather is really helping us to achieve that.
“(For) all their decisions, we purely made suggestions and the couple... they’ve tasted everything, they’ve been involved in every detail.”
Harry and Meghan will marry at Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel, and after their carriage ride through the streets of Windsor, they will join their 600 wedding guests for the St George’s Hall reception.
The sweet and savoury canapes that will be served are made to be consumed in two bites, while the bowl dishes can be eaten standing up.
The food is likely to be washed down with Champagne and wine from the extensive royal cellars and soft drinks.
The head chef would not discuss the dishes in detail but produce like asparagus, peas and tomatoes are in season – providing a wealth of options for the culinary expert who has worked for some of the world’s best chefs, like Michel and Albert Roux and Raymond Blanc.
In a bid to keep as many ingredients as possible British and local, Mr Flanagan’s team have sourced them from the Home Counties and lands associated with the Queen, like Windsor.
“We’ve really just been trying to let the ingredients stand proud within the dishes,” he said.
“There’s no experimentation on Saturday whatsoever, tried and tested and predominantly classics.”