It's been an exciting few months for Ainsley Harriott – not only did he start the year by being awarded an MBE at Buckingham Palace, but he has also recently launched a new ITV show called Ainsley's Food We Love.
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With photos showing Ainsley giggling with Prince Charles as he accepted his award for services to broadcasting and to the culinary arts, one of the biggest questions on everyone's lips was: 'what were they talking about?' We asked just that when Ainsley sat down with HELLO!, and he cryptically replied: "That's a secret, I can't tell you that! I'd be sent to the tower if I told you."
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While the celebrity chef didn't divulge his secret chat with the royal, he did give us an interesting insight into Prince Charles' culinary choices. Ainsley said: "Some of the big Asian functions I've been to and Prince Charles has been in attendance, he really loves the food."
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So perhaps we can add the likes of hot pot and Thai red curry to Prince Charles' favourite foods, alongside cheesy baked eggs, lamb with mushroom risotto and margarita pizza!
Ainsley Harriott enjoyed a secret joke with Prince Charles when he received his MBE
Ainsley went on to reveal that Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles would be his go-to dinner guests. So what would be on the menu? If he was to cook for the royals, he remarked: "You know me I'm a big fan of meat-free Mondays so I'd probably be able to cook some plant-based food for him. Maybe a cauliflower, butternut and spinach dhansak."
The Indian dish includes mutton or goat with lentils and vegetables seasoned with ginger, garlic, chilli powder and cumin seeds. Former royal chef Darren McGrady has previously described the 71-year-old as a 'foodie', while Prince Harry even reportedly said at the Lord Mayor's Big Curry Lunch in 2016: "It's a shame my Dad's not here - he loves a good curry." So he'd likely be a huge fan of Ainsley's dish!
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