Charlene Wittstock and Prince Albert II of Monaco (left), and chef Alain Ducasse
Marco Piovanotto/Abaca; Francois Mori/AP
He’s keeping mum about the menu, but award-winning chef Alain Ducasse is dropping a few tantalizing hints about what he plans to prepare for the July 2 wedding of Monaco’s Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock.
“We decided to do something sustainable, local and ethical,” the French chef, who lives in Monaco, tells the Associated Press. “Prince Albert is very interested in protecting the Mediterranean, its flora and fauna. It’s something of an obsession.”
So, when it comes to the menu, “It’s going to be like the essence of the Mediterranean Sea, its tastes, its smells and its colors – fresh line-caught fish, garden vegetables and fruits for dessert,” says Ducasse, 54.
Ducasse also admits to a tiny bit of nerves over preparing the three-course meal for the royal couple and their 500 guests.
“I’ve done gala dinners before, but never an official meal for a head of state. It’s a first for me.”
Fortunately, he already has the ringing support of the couple. Last February, Ducasse prepared a meal for them at the Monegasque Embassy in Paris.
“They liked it, which is a relief,” he says.