Royal Recipes - Season 1

Michael is joined by chef Paul Ainsworth in the historic kitchen of one of Britain's finest stately homes as they celebrate food created for the most significant royal event, the coronation.

Paul cooks up a recipe that has remained hidden in the royal archive for more than a hundred years and creates a contemporary version of coronation chicken.

Historian Polly Russell meets the daughter of one of Britain's most famous cooks and together they prepare recipes devised by Margeurite Patten for the nation on the day the Queen was crowned.

Chef Anna Haugh heads to Scotland to fish for the finest salmon, an essential ingredient on any coronation menu.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Anna Haugh in the magnificent kitchen of one of Britain's grandest stately homes to celebrate food served at royal weddings. Anna is inspired by an Italian lamb dish served at the wedding of Queen Victoria's youngest daughter.

Food historian Dr Annie Gray meets Fiona Cairns, the baker who created the official wedding cake for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The former chef to Charles and Diana cooks the chocolate biscuit cake that Prince William chose as an alternative cake for his wedding.

Plus the programme unearths a recipe that has been hidden in the royal archive for over a hundred years. It's for a poignant pudding served at a wedding anniversary to a widowed queen.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Paul Ainsworth to celebrate al fresco dining, cooking food served at royal picnics and garden parties.

Paul sets up the barbecue in the grounds of a former royal palace to prepare gaelic steaks, said to be Prince Philip's signature barbecue dish.

Historian Dr Annie Gray heads to Chiswick House in South West London, the location for some of the earliest royal garden parties and she reveals just how Queen Victoria made picnics fashionable.

And Michael unearths a recipe for an apple tart from Buckingham palace kitchen maid Mildred Nicholls's notebook, dating back to the early 1900s.

Michael is joined by chef Anna Haugh at one of Britain's finest stately homes to prepare food cooked for royal birthdays, starting with the 80th birthday celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II. At a family dinner at Kew Palace, her majesty enjoyed venison with juniper.

Plus Anna tries the chocolate cake said to be the royal birthday cake. It was first made at Buckingham palace for Queen Mary, the Queen's grandmother, and has been served for birthdays ever since.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Paul Ainsworth to celebrate royal food inspired by the days of India and Empire. Using recipes that have been hidden in the royal archive for over a hundred years, Paul cooks up quail and potato curry, said to be a favourite of Queen Victoria.

Historian Dr Annie Gray visits Osborne House on the Isle of Wight where Queen Victoria, Empress of India, showcased her grand passion for the raj, and even hired her own Indian chefs.

Plus Britain's first Indian Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar cooks a dish fit for an Indian president and a British queen.

Michael Buerk is joined by top London chef Anna Haugh to celebrate food created for royal jubilees. Anna cooks some unusual 19th-century ingredients used in a royal dish created for Queen Victoria's golden jubilee. Anna then brings the recipe right up to date and prepares a delicious chocolate dessert served at the present Queen's diamond jubilee.Michael unearths a pudding recipe created for a royal jubilee which has been hidden in the Royal Archives for over a hundred years.

Historian Dr Polly Russell discovers how the town of Windsor persuaded the Queen to donate an entire ox so they could revive an ancient jubilee tradition.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Paul Ainsworth in the kitchens of one of Britain's finest stately homes to celebrate food served to royal children. Paul cooks cottage pie, said to be a favourite of Prince William when he was a boy, and former royal chef Darren McGrady prepares banana flan.

Food historian Dr Annie Gray visits the Swiss Cottage that Victoria and Albert built in the gardens of Osborne House so their nine children could learn to grow food as well as cook it, and there is a look at how the Queen developed a love of kippers as a child in Windsor Castle.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Anna Haugh in the historic kitchens of one of the UK's finest stately homes to cook food enjoyed at some of the royal family's favourite haunts - dishes they have enjoyed with family and friends, at picnics and in restaurants. Anna creates a meat pudding that would have found favour with Bertie, Prince of Wales, and his mistress Lillie Langtry and cooks up a mille feuilles dessert from the recipe book of a Buckingham palace kitchen maid, hidden in the Royal Archive for over a hundred years.

Historian Dr Polly Russell visits the restaurants given the royal seal of approval in the 1950s and 60s.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Paul Ainsworth in the kitchen wing of one of Britain's grandest stately homes. Together they showcase food served at the grandest royal state banquets, as well as dishes served at more informal meetings between the Queen and visiting world leaders. Paul cooks a dish inspired by the state visit of President Obama and also prepares drop scones from a recipe that was sent by the Queen to President Eisenhower in the 1960s. Historian Matt Green learns the art of laying up a banquet table from former royal butler Grant Harrold and discovers how to sit and how to chat without breaking any royal protocols.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Anna Haugh at one of the country's finest stately homes. In the kitchen they are celebrating food served to the royal family when they are enjoying country pursuits. Anna prepares sausages made from pheasant, which is said to the Queen's favourite game bird, and cooks up a dainty pastry and marzipan dessert from the cookbook of Mildred Nicholls, a kitchen maid at Buckingham Palace in the early 1900s. Historian Matt Green tours a grand shooting estate which has historic links with the royal family and looks at photo albums showing exactly what went on. The programme also follows Prince Charles's example and goes foraging for mushrooms.

Michael Buerk is joined by chefs Paul Ainsworth and Anna Haugh to showcase food inspired by the Commonwealth. The Queen is head of the political union of 52 countries and it is said that she considers it her greatest achievement. Paul is inspired by a dish served up to the Queen at a grand Commonwealth meeting in Malta, where she spent the early years of her marriage. Anna gets to cook on board the Royal Yacht Britannia, a floating palace and iconic symbol of the Commonwealth. Finally, Paul uses some of the finest ingredients from his mother's home on the Seychelles to cook up a seafood dish that's similar to those enjoyed by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their honeymoon.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Anna Haugh at one of Britain's grandest stately homes, to showcase the food served up to the Royal family when they enjoy a day at the races. Anna starts with a mini mutton pie a la Windsor, first served at Royal Ascot in the 1930s to King George VI. Royal commentator Ingrid Seward reveals that Prince Philip prefers to watch cricket over horses, and historian Annie Gray discovers how Edward VII, when he was Prince of Wales, combined his two great loves - racing and food.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Paul Ainsworth to look at food created for the Queen's favourite meal, afternoon tea. Paul starts with a Battenburg with a twist, creating a chocolate and vanilla version of a royal favourite. He also tries a recipe for Bath buns, which was discovered tucked into the recipe book of a Buckingham palace kitchen maid in the early 20th century. Historian Dr Annie Gray tells the story of the charitable Queen Alexandra, wife of Edward VII, who chose to treat all the poorest maids in London to a grand tea party at a bishop's palace. Plus, royal cake-maker Mich Turner recreates a masterpiece she made for the Queen, but this time in miniature.

Michael Buerk is joined by chef Anna Haugh to showcase food inspired by royal consorts past and present. The dishes include a favourite of Princess Diana cooked by her former chef Carolyn Robb, a chocolatesouffle said to be enjoyed by Prince Philip and an extravagant first course named after Queen Victoria's beloved husband Albert. Plus, historian Dr Polly Russell gets cooking from our Buckingham Palace kitchen maid's notebook. She attempts to prepare a Danish pudding brought to England by Queen Alexandra, the wife of Edward VII.

Michael Buerk is joined by chefs Paul Ainsworth and Anna Haugh to showcase food inspired by the royal family's tours overseas and home lives. Paul gets inspiration from Prince Philip's younger days when he crossed the Arctic and was served a meal of caribou venison. Meanwhile, Anna travels to Scotland to find out more about the cake the Queen is said to take with her wherever she is in the world, and Atul Kochhar creates a curried mutton pie the way Prince Charles likes it. Plus historian Dr Matt Green looks at the story behind the favourite royal tipple, gin, revealing how it was brought to Britain by William of Orange.