King Charles reportedly takes unusual control over his daily meals. His former head chef, Visen Anenden, says the monarch stays closely involved and pays attention to where his ingredients come from. Anenden, who served as Charles’ head chef for nearly a decade, told Marie Claire that the King has a genuine passion for food and takes a keen interest in what he eats.
King Charles’ former chef says food is ‘the only aspect’ of royal life he can control
According to Anenden, as reported by The Royal Observer, Charles prefers seasonal ingredients and often sources produce directly from royal estates. “He’s very seasonal, and everything comes from the estate,” Anenden explained. “He always wants to know where something has come from, so menus were very particular.”
The chef said the menus could also change depending on where the royal family stayed. Meals at Balmoral, for example, could look very different from those served at Highgrove. When the family stayed at Balmoral, Anenden said the kitchen relied heavily on what the estate’s garden could provide.
“It would be only what you could source from the garden,” he explained. That approach gave Anenden and his team a practical lesson in farm-to-table cooking. “You really learn how the farm-to-fork aspect works, and it’s a phenomenal lesson for a chef!” he said.
Anenden also revealed how much food Charles and Queen Camilla eat. The former chef said they watch their diets closely and usually avoid large portions. “The thing with the royals is that they don’t eat a lot,” he said. “It was always small portions. It’s never substantial, loaded plates at all, never,” he added.
Anenden believes Charles takes an interest in his meals rather than simply enjoying good food. The King and Queen reportedly share input on menu planning, which may give them a sense of control amid their royal duties. “They’re very conscious of their diet,” Anenden said.
He then offered a revealing explanation for the monarch’s interest in food. “It can be to do with control,” he explained. “People like King Charles, because they have control over the food; that’s the only aspect of their life that they can control.”
Originally reported by Khushali Srivastava on Reality Tea.
