Colin Alderson is best known as Pastry Chef to The Queen and former owner of the Balmoral Hotel. Creating lavish, meticulously planned banquets for the Queen, Colin reveals the ins and outs of working in the palace kitchen of one of the oldest monarchies. A highly sought-after speaker, Colin takes audiences through nerve-wracking but highly enjoyable times as Pastry Chef to The Queen, sharing his experience catering for state banquets, the Queen’s favourite dishes and staff parties with the Queen.
Raised on his family farm in the serene Yorkshire Dales, Colin attended Scarborough Technical College to qualify as a Chef. He spent some time in Army Catering at Catterick before landing the role of Junior Cook at Bolton Castle in Wensleydale. Demonstrating great talent, Colin rapidly rose within the ranks to become Pastry Chef to The Queen in 1972. Over the next five years, Colin worked for the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Enjoying a special relationship with the Queen and Prince Phillip, Colin lifts the lid on the Queen’s favourite dishes, describing how she enjoyed cheese souffle and lamb with parsley crust. He recounts how the Queen personally gave gifts to staff at Christmas, invited them to watch the latest films twice a year and joined in and judged the fancy dress parties. He also delves into the meticulous planning involved in preparing for the Queen’s lavish banquets, where it sometimes took three days to lay the tables. With a unique insight into the Royal Household, Colin shares fascinating stories of his life in the palace kitchens.
Books
It Has Been a Pleasure Ma'am
How to hire Colin Alderson
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Colin Alderson for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
Colin Alderson's official speaking topics are listed below:
Life in the Palace Kitchens:
Colin’s talk ranges from the first 3 months' trial to ending up as The Royal Pastry Chef travelling from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle, Sandringham House, Holyrood House in Edinburgh and on board the Royal Yacht Britannia each year at Cowes Week, then taking the Western Isles Cruise to Scotland, sailing to Mexico and The Bahamas. Colin takes you on a journey through life where preparing for State visits, setting the banquet tables, the staff fancy dress parties, The Ghillies Ball at Balmoral Castle and receiving their Christmas presents from Her Majesty The Queen becomes everyday life. From The Palace to Balmoral Tales of the hotelier’s life including when the Queen Mother came to stay and her sudden appearance in the middle of the hotel kitchen. You will hear many more stories about the wonderfully famous Balmoral Hotel in Harrogate which Colin owned and ran for several years. There was fun and laughter and a lot of hard work.
Christmas with The Royal Household:
This is a glimpse into HM The Queen’s Christmas from the food the Royals love, to going to the chapel with The Queen, the gifts and, not forgetting, the food the staff prepared for themselves. This is a festive talk given in Colin’s own wonderful style.
Other Topics:
- My Travels with the Queen on Board the Royal Yacht Britannia
- State Visits Preparing The Tables and Food
- Balmoral Castle and Life on Deeside in August
- Windsor Castle, Royal Ascot and The Garden Parties
- Sandringham House and the Preparations for a Royal Wedding
- 1980 - Owner of Balmoral Hotel
- 1972 - Pastry Chef to The Queen
