Roast to royal rissoles

While many people have dreamed of having dinner with the Queen, they may be less keen after they discover that many Palace meals are repackaged leftov

11:08 03 August 2004

While many people have dreamed of having dinner with the Queen, they may be less keen after they discover that many Palace meals are repackaged leftovers.

Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes reveals in a new BBC documentary that the palace takes a waste-not-want-not attitude to the preparation of food.

Among many money-saving schemes, the Queen turns leftover Sunday roast into other dishes like rissoles and shepherd's pie.

Rhodes also says the monarch has an aversion to tomatoes and has banned them to prevent seeds getting stuck in her teeth.

"There was hardly anything on the plates. I wanted to say, 'Go on, get stuck in', but of course you couldn't speak. In fact, you weren't allowed to sneeze, cough, scratch your nose - nothing. I used to have a nightmare in which I farted in the dining room," Rhodes explained.

While a catering student the television cook used to work at Buckingham Palace.

The information comes as part of the BBC documentary "All The Queen's Cooks", set to be aired on August 10th.

The programme reveals that our reigning monarch prefers plain food. Dishes that tickle the royal fancy include lamb cutlets or roast beef followed by bread and butter pudding or ice cream.

Afternoon tea - complete with scones, potted shrimps, thin cucumber sandwiches without crusts and a special royal tea - is another favourite.

Before a meal Her Majesty's favoured tipple is a dry martini, stirred not shaken, with a twist of lemon rind.