Visen Anenden, the former head chef to King Charles and Queen Camilla, has shared his expert view on the optimal time to have dinner from a health perspective. Having served the royal household for ten years, Anenden offered insight into the habits of the royal family and his personal culinary favourites.
In an interview with Heart Bingo Online, Anenden stated, “The perfect time to eat is 4pm or 5pm. If you have something to eat at 5pm, you have the rest of the evening for your body to digest it.” He emphasised that eating late, such as at 8pm, followed by going to bed around 10pm, often leads to discomfort from going to sleep with a full stomach.
When asked about the dinner routine of the royals, Anenden revealed, “It was quite late, around 8pm. Camilla would try to push for an earlier time, but it was always around 8 or 8.30pm.”
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Anenden also described his favourite summer salad, featuring seasonal beetroot paired with an array of fresh ingredients. He explained, “I love beetroot, so during the summer when beetroot is in season, I would make a beetroot salad.” The salad includes watercress, butter leaf, baby gem lettuces, feta cheese, roasted pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds, all brought together with a pomegranate molasses dressing.
To add varied textures and sweetness, he uses different types of beetroot-roasted, boiled and raw-making the salad colourful and vibrant. This dish pairs wonderfully with grilled lamb cutlets.
The dressing, Anenden explained, is created by combining pomegranate molasses, blood orange juice, white wine vinegar, and lemon juice to form an emulsion. Olive oil, grapeseed oil, and a touch of walnut oil are incorporated to finish the flavour profile.
These insights offer a glimpse into royal dining practices, alongside professional advice on meal timing and seasonal flavours.