Prince Charles’ former personal chef has claimed a secret services agent used to watch him prepare meals to make sure he wasn’t poisoning the royal.
Atul Kochhar has recalled how his every move in the kitchen used to be under scrutiny while he was making his specialty curries for the heir to the throne, and he has admitted it was really "off-putting" being watched all the time.
According to the Sunday Mirror newspaper, the 45-year-old cook said: "Prince Charles has never complained, in fact he is a gentleman and always eats everything he is served and says thank you to you when you meet him, he was very gracious and complimented me.
"But actually when you are cooking there is a secret service person watching you at all times which is a really off-putting."
Atul is said to have made the comments while chatting to TV presenters Lisa Snowdon and Steve Jones behind the scenes of Channel 4 show ‘Weekend Kitchen’ yesterday (19.10.14), and the top chef also revealed Charles is a fan of spicy curries.
A source told the publication: "Atul has always found it a real honour to cook for royalty but it just shows how much pressure there is on the catering staff not only to provide good food, but to make sure he doesn’t get ill.
"It sounds like something out of medieval times when food tasters were employed to check for deadly substances before royalty could touch it."
As well as enjoying home-cooked meals, Charles also likes to eat out on occasions and was left devastated in 2008 when one of his favourite restaurants, The Neal Street Restaurant, which was situated on Neal Street in London, had to close in 2008.
Owner Antonio Carluccio, 77, recently said: "It was heartbreaking. The customers were upset too.
"I even had a personal letter from Prince Charles commiserating the fact that the restaurant had to close."
Prince Charles chef ‘was watched by secret services’
