CHEF ON ROYAL TRAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1935, Page 4

CHEF ON ROYAL TRAIN

THIRD TOUR WITH PRINCE IMPROVED EQUIPMENT To have been the chief chef on three Royal tours and the tour of the Railway Commission is the proud record of Mr, F. Whittaker, Frankton Junction, who is responsible for the supervision of the kitchen attached to the present Royal train. Mr. Whittaker, who is generally in charge of the refreshment department at Frankton Junction, was chef for the tours of the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, the Duke of Gloucester and the last Railway Commission. On the present tour he has an assistant chef and three kitchen hands. , . ’

Commenting on the tour, Mr. Whittaker told a Daily News reportei- yesterday that the facilities provided for all departments and the general organisation was greatly improved compared with previous tours. The kitchen was very up-to-date and offered every facility for the staff. There was a pantry and, in a special compartment, eight gas cylinders. Included in the equipment was a double gas stove, a hot plate press, cooling safes and ice chests.

The food for the train was ordered well in advance and picked up en route, explained Mr. Whittaker. There were two messes to be provided for and the staff was kept fully engaged. He was enjoying the tour, particularly in view of the improvements that had been effected as the result of previous experience. It was explained that there were about 80 persons on the train, eight in the Duke’s party, 37 passengers and 35 victuallers. Waiongona, the small station between Lepperton junction and Inglewood at which the Royal train stopped for half an hour yesterday morning, has probably never had such an elaborate breakfast served in the district since the Duke of York’s train stopped there in 1926. How highly developed are the catering arrangements may be gauged from the fact that the following breakfast menu was placed before the Duke and other passengers on the train yesterday:— Peaches in syrup; rolled oats; fried fillets of schnapper; broiled bacon; grilled kidneys; fillet steak; eggs, fried, boiled, poached, scrambled; omelettes, plain, savoury, sweet; fried tomatoes; cold boiled ham; tea, Ceylon or China; coffee; cocoa.