McGrady Darren - Eating Royally

2007 Darren McGrady

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Food photography by Leonardo Frusteri.

Page design by Walter Petrie.

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ISBN 978-1-4185-7436-9 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

McGrady, Darren, 1962

Eating royally / Darren McGrady.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-4016-0321-2

1. McGrady, Darren, 1962 2. CooksEnglandBiography. 3. Windsor, House of. I. Title.

TX649.M44A3 2007

641.5092dc22

[B]

2007001358

11 12 13 14 15 TSB 10 9 8 7 6

I dedicate this book to the memory of two special ladies: To my Nan Florrie Lambert who meant so much to me and would have been so proud of this book, it would have been shown all around the bingo hall. And of course to Princess Diana, who taught me to be humble and made me realize that while charity work can be hard, it is the most satisfying, and that giving is so much more rewarding than taking.

Table of Contents

It was while traveling around the country raising money to promote breast cancer awareness that I decided to write this book. People were fascinated by the little anecdotes I told and the food I prepared, and they wanted more. And so this book was born. It was only fitting, then, that my advance from this book should therefore go to charity. I chose the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation because it linked two of Princess Dianas charitable goalschildren and AIDS. I wanted it to be a book that William and Harry could show to their children and say, Look, this is what Granny Diana used to eat when we were your age.

Thank you to Catherine Draytonmy literary agent until I scared her back to Australiafor believing there could be a good book here. I owe you an ice cream. To Alexis Hurley and Eleanor Jackson of Inkwell Management for picking up the project reigns and guiding it to fruition. Thank you both for your patience, support, advice, direction, and for convincing me that you cant write a book in two weeks. You are the best! Thanks to all at Thomas Nelson for creating a beautiful book, especially to Pamela Clements for having faith in the project, and to Geoffrey Stone and Lori Jones for their leadership and talent and for humoring me and accommodating my requests as often as possible. Enormous thanks to Susan Ruffins for her endurance and discipline in keeping me on track and on time. Without you I would still be on the first chapter. Thank you for writing me exactly as I speak. You have such talent and humor and I am proud to have worked with you.

A huge thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wyly Jr. for their support and kindness over the four years it took to put this book together. Special thanks to Jill Rowlett and Lee Bailey for the stunning English antique silver and china in the food shots and who, along with Yvonne Crum, knew everyone when it came to borrowing the best props and equipment. To Abigail Davies and Eddie Dennis at Neiman Marcus for the best selection of English china and crystal. To Terry Van Wilson and Angela Malone of Porthault for the finest linen outside Buckingham Palace. To Charles and Nell Roberts of London Market antiques for adding the British history to the food shots and helping make them authentic. To Leo Frusteri for turning my food into works of art, bellissimo! Leo, you are a star.

Most importantly, I want to thank my wife, Wendy, who had to put up with many weekends, late nights, and holidays when I was at the computer or testing recipes. I love you and couldnt have done this without your support and encouragement. And to Kelly, Lexie, and Harry, who told me many times to ask Miss Alexis if you can have a day off, Dad. Well, now I can. To my mother Pauline who inspired me with her own cooking and to my father Michael who kept digging deep into his pocket while I was learning. Also to my siblings Chris and Sacha. Thank you all for supporting me, believing in me, and giving me the confidence to face any challenge.

Darren McGrady

Warmest thanks to Alexis Hurley and Eleanor Jackson at Inkwell Management for offering me space in the kitchen and at the table! I will always be grateful. Thanks to all the folks at Thomas Nelson Publishers including Geoffrey Stone, Pamela Clements, and Lori Jones. Your guidance, speed, and editorial generosity are deeply appreciated. Special thank you to Darren, whose stamina in slogging through draft upon draft ensured that we got it just right and whose kindness, good spirits, and graceful nature made work feel like play.

Thank you to Seth, Theo, and Olivia for your tremendous understanding and patience. This could not have happened without your support. I love you all more than I can ever express. A final thank you to Margaret Giganti, whose talent, love, and wisdom was given to me without reserve. It nourishes me still.

Susan Ruffins

How do you become a chef to the British royal family? Its seems as if Ive just been terribly lucky and, in fact, that certainly plays a part. But after twenty-five years in kitchens both grand and modest, I remain passionate about food and cooking. And at no time more than when I was cooking for the royal family.

I began cooking at Buckingham Palace shortly after the marriage of Lady Diana and Prince Charles and remained in royal service until the death of Princess Diana in 1997. During that time I rose to senior pastry chef at the palace and then to the prestigious position of Princess Dianas private chef at Kensington Palace. My fifteen years working for the royal family were key in helping me master my mtier. But the experience was ultimately much more than just excellent trainingit formed the person I am today. I remember it all with great affection, and with Princess Dianas death, also a tinge of sadness. This book is written with two goals in mind: to share what I have learned and to set down my memories in print.

Today, as in the past, the word royalty connotes an anointed life, separate and apart from the lives of everyday people. But my experience working for the Windsors was just the opposite. In fact, the royal family, with their traditions and sense of service, made me feel British to the core. And underneath all the external trappings of modern royal life, the royal household is really just a home for a large, extended family with its daily routines, styles, and tastes. Make no mistake, their household, like yours, has its quirks. But what may seem quirky at the outset often has a historical and symbolic underpinning. Learning this made my work as a chef all the richer.

It seems fitting in a way that this books arrival coincides so closely with Queen Elizabeths eightieth birthday and the tenth anniversary of Princess Dianas passing. Both of these women affected the path of my life in ways I could never have foreseen. Both deeply impressed me with the notion that although life may include personal passions and interests, it is fundamentally about service toward others. This has been an essential lesson in my work as a chef, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to share my knowledge with others.

When I think back, I realize that my becoming a chef was perhaps preordained. Growing up in Newark, England, food was quite important, not only as a source of pleasure, but also as a source of income. My mum and dad both worked outside the home, my mum as a chef in a local hotel in Nottinghamshire. When your mum is a chef, you learn not to be a fussy eater. Food at home was quite a bit more eclectic than in most British households in the seventies. My sister, brother, and I were introduced at an early age to not only excellent traditional British cooking, but also to French and Italian food. But, I didnt actually cook much as a child. Instead I was an avid eater.