Wirral Masterchef Claire prepares dinner for The Queen

1st December 2011

 From Liverpool Daily Post

Wirral chef Claire Lara last night spoke of the pressure of preparing a meal fit for Royalty.

The Masterchef winner has designed a four-course formal meal sourced entirely from local produce for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh today.

Claire, who won the BBC cookery series Masterchef The Professionals last year, said cooking for the Royal couple was like competing in the TV series “but all crushed into one day” .

She will be working with a group of her friends, former colleagues and even her former teacher to prepare the meal. Preparations began at 6am on Tuesday.

Claire said among the dishes to be served will be her winning dessert from the TV show, raspberry and white chocolate millefeuille, with lemon thyme discs and fresh raspberries.

 The 90 guests at the Floral Pavilion, in New Brighton, will enjoy Turbot supplied by Birkenhead-based Wards Fish, and Claire said all the dishes served, including marble terrine foie gras, are sourced locally – “the majority from Wirral, and all North West”. The final course is a selection of petits fours to be taken away.

Claire said: “It’s just as much pressure as Masterchef, except all crushed into one day. But everyone in the kitchen feels really honoured. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

She said: “I submitted about four menus to the Palace and they have taken different dishes from them.”

She also admitted checking the menu at Prince William’s wedding and researching what kind of food the Queen enjoys.

During the visit to the theatre, the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will unveil a commemorative plaque and see a short performance by students of St Mary’s Catholic College in Wallasey.

The Floral Pavilion has been the flagship project in New Brighton’s long awaited regeneration by Neptune Developments.

The visit coincides with the opening of the new cinema The Light this week, with restaurants and cafes set to open later this month at Marine Point.