Former royal chef on cooking for Princes William and Harry: "They loved a piping bag full of meringue"
Carolyn Robb was the top chef at Kensington Palace, cooking up some eye-pleasing creations for the royal family — including Princes William and Harry when they were boys.
She's sharing some of her best recipes in her new book, "Tea at the Palace: A Cookbook: 50 Delicious Afternoon Tea Recipes." This is her second book, with a third slated to be released around the holidays.
The South African chef got her start early: She was just 21 years old after she impressed Prince Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales during a dinner service. She became the first female chef for the royal couple.
"I was so inspired I just threw myself into the job," Robb told CBS News' Roxana Saberi
As part of her training, Robb said that she got a crash course in royal protocol.
"The first time you see a member of the royal family each day, you curtsy to them, which can be a bit awkward if you're in the kitchen with the potato peeler in your hand," she said.
As the personal chef to both Prince Charles and Diana, she mastered all of the family's favorite meals and treats. One of the recipes in "Tea at the Palace" includes a meringue recipe that both Prince William and Harry loved when they were young.
"They loved a piping bag full of meringue," said Robb.
Robb was at Kensington Palace in 1997 when the young princes had to cope with the sudden death of their mother.
"There was very little that anybody certainly in my position could really do. But to know that the food was the best it could possibly be. I do think it has a role to play, and the fact that the kitchen was always a warm and happy and welcoming place," she recalled.
In her new book, Robb aims to bring the comfort of cooking to everyone's home.
"I hope it's just all part of a bigger experience, spending time with family and friends and enjoying some treats. Something a bit special, something that you don't have every single day," Robb said.
