Monaco palace secrets

[Music] the prince's palace of monaco built on the ruins of a 12th century genoese fortress is the cradle of one of europe's most fascinating ruling houses it's a legendary building which has inspired dreams around the world for decades the secretive and mysterious palace is also the official residence of prince albert ii monaco's current head of state and it's in this mythical palace that christian garcia prince albert's head chef has the privilege of working [Music] christian organizes the big palace receptions and prepares the private meals of the grimaldi family with whom he has shared daily life for 25 years every morning the chef crosses one of the palace's gems the royal courtyard which is not only stunning but also full of history it's an extraordinary working environment which never ceases to amaze this 47 year old family man the first time i arrived at the princess palace i was really nervous and then coming across a structure like this i mean look at this magnificent courtyard the palatial chapel all these wall hangings and paintings it's really magnificent [Music] i always have the same emotion when i come to work in the morning i always have a big smile on my face right up to here i'm happy with the work i do and of course it's a great privilege to work for the prince and i'm happy with the life i lead i think i'm so fortunate to have this job [Music] at the center of this exceptional place is a majestic work of art from the 17th century this stunning two-way staircase modeled on the castle at fontainebleau this masterpiece in marble also served as the chapel where prince albert and princess charlene were married [Music] it was at the foot of the staircase where on the 3rd of july 2011 the prince and princess said i do we so could you iron [Music] 55 years earlier at the foot of the same staircase prince rainier iii and the american actress grace kelly who had recently become a princess received them on a guest subjects in honor of their own marriage [Music] the grimaldo's palace had the whole world's attention today the palace is still the stage for many prestigious receptions such as when princess caroline and prince albert celebrated the literary awards held by the prince pierre foundation in their private quarters usually closed off to the public other than the prince and princesses guests no one ever sees these rooms or corridors decorated throughout the reigns of the various sovereigns only christian garcia and the ruler's personal staff are allowed here on any given day [Music] it is here there's a terrific portrait of princess grace all the palace elders tell me how lovely she was she was extremely kind i would have loved to have known princess grace for myself i feel like this little room has a soul for example the prince and princess charlene appeared at this window for the first time after their civil wedding [Applause] and behind these windows something else the public rarely sees a subtle and refined decor where the gold of the woodwork harmonizes with the shimmering colors of the italian ceiling it is here amongst this elegance that the sovereign receives his guess when there are receptions it's like a bonus for me i'm highly motivated even more motivated than normal one floor below christian garcia reigns over the prince's kitchen with his team he has the weighty task of preparing the palace's brand receptions which host up to 300 people hear the eggs you asked for but he also has to cook daily for the sovereign and his family today princess charlaine has invited a friend to dinner have you put on the veal yep the veal's uh cooking asparagus soup fillet of steamed sea baths and ginger sweet potatoes they won't be having cheese and the dessert will be the verbena jelly with raspberries understood mediterranean fish with exotic vegetables princess charlene has chosen a menu which is light and relatively simple to make but the chef still has to be prepared for the unexpected we always prepare for one or two extra people because you never know which guests are going to turn up at the last minute having to anticipate the most minor wishes of the royal couple is an essential part of the role of head chef in the monaco palace it's liquid there's too much liquid another batch dollar and then we'll accompany it with egg yolks and cream the asparagus soup just about salvaged other starters are already being prepared that's the mozzarella and tomato starters for the staff we try to present it nicely as well for some 30 employees are prepared in this kitchen every day chris young keeps a watchful eye over everything that goes on here yet he never seen destin to work in the kitchens of the princes of monaco age 23 he worked in one of the principality's five-star hotels but one day he stood in for someone in the palace kitchen and he never left his dedication and talent shines through another reason he won the trust of prince rainier in 1995 prince albert as a man who clearly understands the importance of food in politics took a close interest in the kitchen's renovation the prince chose the color of the tiling the floors the walls the prince even shows all the place settings and placed all the copperware himself in the kitchen the lovely old copperware here i'm going to show you a little bit of my own treasure carefully here are some of prince rainier's little annotations he's indicated to me that turbo was a little dry but later he writes that the summer food dispatcher was very good to have again he says and that was a nice cappuccino that the prince rania thought was excellent here's a fried filet of turbo with tomato in basil nice and light he wrote i have the menus where the prince was complimentary to me of course nonetheless when i first got here i tended to make food in the nouvelle cuisine style especially compared with my predecessors [Music] and one day the prince called me in to say enough with this nouvelle cuisine which is all style and no substance i got the message and so i changed my cooking style okay the princess and her guests have arrived the princess will be at the table in five minutes it's not like a restaurant where the customer can expect to wait for a dish here we can't afford to make them wait it's the biggest stress imaginable because everything must be completely ready and we have to keep a really close eye on everything we need a minute to bring it over and in a minute and a half her meal must already be on the table take it it's barrage flour nasturtium and that's a cucumber flour come on adam let's go this is a sweet potato puree with ginger the sea bass fillet has simply been steamed for our daily meals we always cook healthily with fresh high quality products so we don't always do gastronomic cooking sometimes it's just a salad or two fried eggs so that's what being the big boss is in a special house like the princess palace is like whether the dish is simple or elaborate christian always serves it with care in the chilled silverware stamped with a family's coat of arms like this today it's actually very simply presented where's the basil allen here traditionally the main course is presented on a silver tray and not a plate we call this kind of service a la francaise french style the final touches are completed by the head chef himself for a banquet or a private meal it's always christian that's in charge [Music] the verbena jelly with raspberries having just been sent out the chef tackles a sensitive task coming up with the prince's next menus with more than 100 meals served each year christian must be creative if he hopes to impress hello hello and so what have we what have you come up with turbo red mullet we have some john dory some capen what's this rabbit no no no no no no no comfy of rabbits yeah yeah we made a little rabbit confit my main difficulty is always having the same guests at the table we have to come up with new things all the time so that he doesn't get the impression that he's always eating the same food the chef records his suggestions in writing the prince validates his choice with a cross every book preciously conserved records the tastes and habits of the royals and the palace's culinary history there you go see every time the prince checks and notes the number of people who will be eating for example the prince didn't want a dessert here and there it is we communicate like that nonetheless the prince does come into the kitchen regularly to check the menu and to tell me i want that or [Music] for inspiration christian garcia often goes to a secret place perched 700 meters above monaco in the gardens of prince albert's private property lies rocker gel it's a highly secluded place and christian is one of the few people to have access to it it's true that they're very few who are allowed to go to rocker gel other than the prince's guests and family it's really private rocker gel is also an organic farm [Music] is the treatment finished oh yes it's done these are the prince's cows they have a privileged lifestyle for dairy cows which gave the prince an idea and for six months now the rocker gel property has been housing something new a fromagerie somewhere where they make cheese smoked cheeses cheeses with herbs or pepper there is a great variety and new culinary delights for the chef who supervises each stage of the process [Music] this one's very good but personally i prefer it a bit more mature it's definitely a little bit more interesting um you know there's a little hint of honey and a little bit of crumbled up truffles however next week i will suggest that the prince has a little bit of that homage fray over there with fresh herbs some chives from the garden a little bit of parsley would be very nice when we have receptions official dinners or whatever we immediately suggest cheese produced at rocket shell and rocker gel also has a fully ecological garden of eden which houses many other delights in the vegetable garden there are about a hundred different varieties of mediterranean fruits and vegetables including these courgette flowers from which christian will make stuffing a typical dish of the french riviera approximately how many can we get uh out of this one for the morning a bit like uh that one flowers like that it all depends on the sun a bunch oh 50. really about 50. i'll make those ones into a stuffing with a base of mediterranean bass and langoustine maybe there that goes well with a nice bit of courgette the finished product will be very beautiful but tell me if i suggest courgette flowers like that for the next official dinner what if the weather turns or something how am i going to you know well you won't have the flowers but uh you know you can't cheat nature but if there's a hailstorm in the meantime you won't have anything left anyway nature controls everything here a princess vegetable garden exposed to the sky where only nature is the sovereign we are in a real organic garden there is no chemical fertilizer we just use manure from the prince's cows it's natural we don't use treatments or pesticides all the weeding is done manually that's why the grass sometimes looks as it does now we're cultivating these vegetables in a traditional way 100 natural products and the other good thing that should be mentioned is that these vegetables almost never go into the fridge they're all cooked straight away directly from the garden to the princess table prince rainier filmed these scenes a half century ago there are the only ones or nearly the only ones who have been taken of this place that is so jealously protected from the outside world it was prince rainier and princess grace who created the vegetable garden this hectare of land was a great playground for the young princess caroline and her three-year-old brother prince albert [Music] i used to go and help out gardner when i was a child i helped pick potatoes carrots tomatoes i had not had this extraordinary childhood in this natural environment i would probably not have the same traits or interests in the environment that i have [Music] all of us remember vegetables or different products which had a certain flavor when we were young and which we continue to take pleasure in throughout our lives it's an extraordinary haven of greenness of which i am very fond in which my family and i try to develop and preserve on this land no decision is taken without consulting prince albert this garden is his passion he regularly pops in to check on his vegetables he likes bringing his guests here and getting them to try his produce and for me it makes cooking much easier because with high quality products you don't need to do much to them just a personal touch maybe correct seasoning cooking should not be complicated these are the vegetables that will be on the menu for the official dinners planned over the next couple of days in the palace in the history of monaco's diplomacy some major foreign delegations have been entertained here in the majestic throne room the ceiling is adorned with scenes from mythology and there is an amazing renaissance style chimney as well as of course the magnificent gold lacquered throne which was built in 1881 and which is based on napoleon's throne at fontainebleau for thomas fought the palace's historian the throne is the emblem of the grimaldi family's power the symbol of the monarchy's authority which is equal to that of other sovereigns that is to say the prince of monaco despite reigning over a small state ultimately has the same status the same powers as any other sovereign in the world and it was here under the watchful eye of his ancestors that on the 17th of november 2005 prince albert received the order of saint charles and thus became the 14th sovereign of monaco [Music] your highness is sat on the throne of the grimaldi to receive honor from the great body of the state [Music] that the second only used this throne once when he was crowned and that is normally the case it is used just once above the throne embroidered fine gold is the coat of arms and the motto of the princes of monaco dale juvente with god's help is also the setting for grand receptions and people can remember when during his visit in 1960 general de gaulle was invited to have lunch in this very place similarly for president francois mitterrand the official dinner for a head of state a reception in the throne room represents the promise of a journey to the heart of seven centuries of history and the assurance of a refined voyage in the cultured principality of monaco there is a tradition here in the art of hospitality of which prince albert is very fond good evening your highness good evening how are you very well thank you for asking so what good things are cooking your highness in one week's time the sovereign will welcome the president of croatia it is an important lunch aimed at furthering diplomatic relations between the two mediterranean countries nothing is left a chance the prince personally supervises each detail of the menu if you would like your highness i wanted to offer you a little amuse bush i could eventually make a very small egg like this one a little dish of scrambled eggs with white truffles since we have some good truffles from alba your highness splendid okay well very good i believe that gastronomy has a very important role in politics it helps create an atmosphere favorable to discussion and the exchange of ideas and i believe that for the host it's important to create the atmosphere with high quality delicacies and with high quality wine as well when people share nice things around the table the discussions are much more relaxed and exchanges are much freer it'd be good to let them try the aged balsamic vinegar the aged balsamic your highness oh yes very well your highness we have some very good sea bass at the moment some mediterranean bass what vegetables would you put with that well your highness there will be a little carrot souffle and on top of the sea bass a very small caviar dumpling i don't consider myself to be a very difficult head of state i don't have particularly extravagant demands for my chef i like to have a discussion with a chef to see what he thinks when we are preparing for a particular reception or dinner he's a very good listener and he's always open he's always looking for new products and new tastes as well thank you in honor of the president of croatia the prince's final choice is mediterranean sea bass with citrus fruits and caviar dumplings filet of lamb alphiel style coffee of vegetables and beets from rocker gel parmesan with aged balsamic vinegar and fig and coconut biscuits chef garcia wants to serve these refined and subtle delicacies on precious dishes the grimaldi china cabinet is priceless and behind these class doors lies two centuries of grandiose receptions crystal a thousand rare pieces most of them engraved with fine gold princely monograms a reserve watched over by frank the head butler [Music] personally i like the copenhagen dinner service but then it's a personal opinion what do you think for this service oh yes yes and what's more in the copenhagen dinner service we have fish plates that will work well with a bass it's all very pretty i like that ornamental one for the cheese we can have that one oh yes the ornamental plate's magnificent oh i like that one there too it's a bit busy but i like it by the way it'd be good if we could use this one for the dessert it's the service that was used for the prince and princess's wedding [Music] but the oldest set in the palace is this one three plates which are more than 150 years old decorated with a monogram of prince charles iii prince albert's great-great-grandfather there you go they're real museum pieces which we no longer use because there are only three of them and we guard them with our lives they are one of our greatest treasures [Music] the diplomatic lunch is fast approaching and christian wants to collect his valued ingredients he will travel several hundred kilometers to get them today he's going to modernize in italy where he knows he will find the rarest and the best ingredients [Music] i would be prepared to cross the whole earth to find that little marvelous ingredient which would please the prince and on which the prince would be proud to show his guests at special meals we aren't unlimited with our kitchen budget so we try to find reasonably priced products but we also know that quality can be expensive [Music] these old buildings contain the secrets of the production of the best balsamic vinegar in the world a little piece of know-how passed on from father to son since 1871. giovanni is the patriarch of this vinegar factory which is highly prized by the greatest chefs hidden in the heart of eight acres of vines the leonardis property lives by the rhythm of grape harvests and melodies performed by famous countrymen what's happening why are they singing [Music] used to gargle balsamic vinegar before every concert now i'm going to introduce in the kitchen it's the first time i've harvested the grapes the first but hopefully not the last look next year i'll be here with you i promise and look here comes the sun i've been here hello christian how are you yeah very well thank you francisco francesco leonardi the fourth generation of leonardis who will assume responsibility for the family business his task is to continue to manufacture this nectar which guests fight over at the world's most prestigious dinner tables such as the kremlin the elysee and the white house behind this ancestral balsamic vinegar is a very sweet grape unchanged since the 19th century the recipe is a jealously guarded secret the grape juice is cooked for several hours before facing decades in the vineyard's 3000 barrels [Music] unlike wine it's not under the ground but under the roofs that the barrels are stored it's where there are the greatest differences in temperature that the finest balsamic vinegar is produced [Music] this little barrel contains a 50 year old vinegar it's very dense very creamy product and how old is the barrel this barrel is more than 100 years old more than 100 years oh yes and inside there's a 50 year old product this is very thick very concentrated vinegar there's nothing very vinegary about it it's really very sweet very delicate [Music] delicious it's like a remedy an elixir good for the digestive system do you know the story about casanova in italy he gave his lovers a vial of balsamic vinegar to seduce them like parmesan truffles or caviar i think i will buy him some little bottles of balsamic vinegar no you don't need any in this precious loft the 400 barrels made from oak chestnut or juniper wood give each vinegar its distinctive taste and aroma among them the most precious is the one that combines all the heritage of the leonardi dynasty francesco francesco is very kindly going to let me try a balsamic vinegar that is 150 years old it's an exceptional product uh it's not for sale so he's sharing something very special with me yes it's really the leon hardy family treasure [Music] it's really a precious product we prefer to present it in minuscule bottles to give a roundabout price for a very old balsamic vinegar like this 100 year old vinegar you're talking about 7 000 euros a liter a liter of black gold made from 1 000 liters of grape juice 100 years earlier christian is one of the leonardo's best clients and so each time he visits he's given star treatment barbara is a very famous chef in this region she's very innovative with her recipes and that's why i very often ask her advice on which vinegar to put with which dishes today we have a beautiful red prawns and pan-fried foie gras which we will taste with balsamic vinegar as well as a little parmesan panna cotta because parmesan also goes very well with balsamic vinegar i'm not greedy you know the chef will soon play some of these delectable combinations on prince albert's table for example strawberries served with a subtle 30 year old balsamic [Music] it's beautiful fantastic i imagine that in france few people could conceive that the marriage between fruits like this and the balsamic vinegar would be so perfect come on let's steal a bit from him that's the last one the rest is for me but the most prestigious address in italy for chefs is located here on the banks of the river po it's like stepping back in time the ancient corte palavicina a 14th century architectural jewel below which are hidden some real gastronomic trailers it's great to be here with you in this renaissance setting christian garcia is meeting massimo spigaroli the keeper of a 700 year old recipe [Music] there you go these wall paintings are really magnificent firstly i'm always very taken by this kind of beauty cave you've seen up there amazing [Music] five thousand hams the culatello di sibello most are reserved by the big names of gastronomy but not all [Music] where prince albert okay that one's yours these ones are more refined these ones are a little less so are these ready yeah these are ready prince albert has his culatelli just next to prince charles [Music] look over here this is the private reserve of prince charles [Music] prince charles sends his pigs to mr spigeroni so they can prepare all sorts of meat based delicacies for him probably the oldest in the world and they're very special [Music] two centuries ago joseph verdi the great italian composer bought his culatello here unlike parma ham this meat does not come from the thigh but from the buttocks of the black pig the most ancient breed of italian pigs normally for reasons of hygiene the culatello is prepared in a laboratory but for the chef's visit massimo spigaroli has reproduced his ancestors factory in the cellars that's our production it's wine from the farm it's uh organic wine it's all those little things that mean that this is a an exceptional product the subtlety of the garlic the pork bladder the way they tied and hung but what makes a culatello so special is the way it's refined like nowhere else in the world here there's no room to smoke or dry out the hand but instead the windows open onto the po [Music] here from the first months of autumn the fog brought by the river penetrates the sellers and infuses these hams with moisture [Music] when the fog rolls in it's a big celebration because the fog comes down into the salad it activates the mildew which is so important and it'll leave its little white flowers that's what gives it its flavor in no other part of the world is there mildew like the mildew of culatello would you allow me to have a go at binding the ham mr speaker so you've understood this is very important because we're about to finish the job go this way that's it it's quite strenuous actually is okay for the prince christian isn't here just to visit the sellers but to choose a ham that will delight the prince's palace this one's 36 37 months old look that's very important and i think that this ham will correspond perfectly to prince albert's tastes an aged cooler like this is perfect just a bit of bread and butter it's the best [Music] help me [Music] it's the changing of the guard [Music] i don't really have time to hang around though i can't be late for work back in monaco it's d-day for christian garcia and 150 employees in the palace in a few hours time prince albert and princess charlene will welcome the president of the croatian republic evil josephovic and his wife the valets the butlers and silver polishers are out in force and in total around half a dozen manual workers bustle around in the private quarters [Music] it's like a well-rehearsed ballet with each person knowing his or her role perfectly each little thing that i found myself really removes all the dirt near the vegetables yeah the rocker gel vegetables here we are thank you the vegetables were picked at dawn in the prince's garden here you have oh look there's still little ants on it walking all over the flowers in the kitchen the countdown has begun just four hours before the start of the state lunch [Music] ten linen maids check the tablecloth destined for the table where the meal will be served [Music] towards you a bit more it's dragging on this side the prince and princesses 22 guests will take their seats here in the spacious dining room which is the biggest area in the private apartment the guests will sit under this meticulously crafted ceiling painted during the reign of charles iii in the 19th century [Music] tablecloth must be exactly the same length on both sides of the table and the coat of arms needs to be in the very center princess albert is always sat here and he must be able to read deo juvente and have the crown facing him i have 52 and a half so it needs to come this way you need to give me a bit more you have perfect stripes here and there the trick is to get it so that each stripe is at an equal distance from each other and from the edge of the table two hours of meticulous work to get the tablecloth perfectly symmetrical and ensure there isn't the smallest crease a few meters from the dining room in the mirror room francois the chief gardener is making a bouquet of ortensias for the cocktail party which the prince will hold before the meal floral decoration is one of the legacies of princess grace although francois did not know her personally he has been told how much she loved flowers the staff who did know her told me how much princess grace adored roses the princess closely supervised the maintenance of the garden and the floral displays she often came to the workshop to help or instruct the florists she took a real hands-on interest we've received requests from princess charlene for floral decorations uh with very specific preferences for the colors and the choice of the flowers princess white roses so however today there are no white flowers and instead a pastel theme has been chosen for the reception the gardeners have to prepare five centerpieces for the table more than 50 bouquets are prepared in the palace every week in the house we don't normally make big displays there's absolutely no sense of excess in floral decoration i know that the prince likes to know that we use the flowers elsewhere and throw nothing away after it's important to him these flowers will cut fresh this morning and very probably after lunch we'll reuse them for example putting them in the vases in the offices we always try to recycle all the flowers rather than just waste them [Music] okay so we'll make fritters from the crochet flowers for the aperitif one problem with the vegetables from the garden is that there's no guarantee they will all be the same size so we have to be very careful when serving up the food it's one hour before the croatian president is due to arrive and the pace is picking up in the kitchens a state meal demands great organization and plenty of passion from the staff grand receptions are what give us a thrill you can really feel the adrenaline and that motivates us to do it even to make sure all goes perfectly smoothly the 24-person lunch chef garcia has called in some extra help whenever he gets the chance the head chef asks shield [Music] [Music] from the monaco hospitality school who has come in to make the desserts oh that's the way so look when people are sitting see this way it's good and we can see inside as well they'll have the monogram facing them christine and benoit have been working together to create the palace's desserts for two years but they still like to photograph their handiwork it's important for us to have a photo of all the dishes we send out so that we don't make the same thing the next time the croatian president all right make sure it's in the center so the center rows must be directly underneath the center of the chandelier nothing must be out of place on the prince's table and even the spacing between the plates is precise palace butler paul knows all about the exact science of laying the prince's table it's always better to allow for more space than not enough especially for the waiters as it's difficult for them to serve if all the chairs are in the way they're high and it's difficult to pass the meals over the top so the wider it is the more comfortable it is everything is very exact and for 24 places the spacing today is 47 centimeters and not a single centimeter more of course these are crystal glasses jean we walk a bit faster please we place the glasses in a triangle in front of a person like this one two three [Music] one for water red wine and white wine as i accompany the prince out of the room after the meal if there's been any problem with the service he'll tell me so himself it could be about the glasses or what could be about anything really oh yes prince albert is a very keen eye for detail it's very important to get it right hey christian how's it going oh hi how are you colonel colonel fringo is one of the most important people in the palace he's in charge of protocol and is the chief orchestrator of all the big receptions for this military man improvisation and deviation are not tolerated okay so today there will be a little speech from the prince lasting about 40 seconds just 40 seconds it will be just before the meal everyone will sit down and then the prince will stand up a few seconds later it'll be a very short speech which will finish up of course with i raise my glass to the friendship between and at that point everyone stands up chances are that the croatian president will respond with a few short words himself and then everyone will sit back down and the service will begin so don't forget to keep everyone's glasses top top so what are we starting with today you'll be a little amused the rocker gel scrambled eggs with white truffles and sap and as soon as the toast is finished the amuse bush will arrive for his highness and which wine are we starting with oh it's the corton charlemagne perfect he may appear relaxed but the colonel takes his responsibilities very seriously he must know the culinary habits and religious convictions of all the guests to avoid any embarrassing mistakes [Music] i give him the number of guests and tell him if there are any particular requirements like if there are any allergies exactly the goal is to please the guest that's very important to the prince every little detail is taken care of to ensure the guests enjoy themselves [Music] one important part of the colonel's job is the delicate art of the table plan the prince will have the croatian president's wife to his right princess to her right and so on with people of descending status so the least important will be at the end of the table in this case i'll be over there the practical advantage is that at the end of the table i can see both the prince and the princess and we have a little sign system so i know if the prince needs something depending on which sign he makes if the seating plan is successful it will be evident within about 30 seconds you can see straight away if it works that people can talk to each other if we haven't made a mistake with the languages if someone can't talk to his neighbor because of a language barrier then we've definitely got it wrong [Music] prince albert arrives escorted by colonel frigon it's a serious moment as it's the first time that a croatian president has visited the principality [Music] as is the custom the monarchesque head of state welcomes his counterpart mr evo yozipovic at the grand entrance of the palace [Music] according to international protocol military honours are given to the croatian president in the palace courtyard [Music] while the croatian national anthem is resonating around the quad behind the scenes everything is being checked one last time [Music] when they start arriving at the table we finish the scrambled eggs you add the sep and the grated truffles we're especially motivated to please when there's a head of state visiting we want the prince and his guests to be happy there's a bit of extra pressure [Music] okay tell me when the speech is coming up they'll announce it the prince's first words start the countdown and from that moment christian and his brigade will have three minutes to prepare 24 hot starters one floor above princess charlene has just taken her place between the croatian president and his prime minister it's her first public appearance since her marriage the prince makes his welcoming remarks and it's all systems go in the kitchen as the speech started or not yes okay let's go come on come on come on let's go [Music] as the starter the special amuse bush concocted by christian scrambled eggs from the princess farm coated with strips as fine as silk paper of white italian truffles that goes like that okay all the spoons facing in the same direction as planned prince albert raises a toast of friendship between the two countries now the meal can begin an official dinner lasts 60 minutes one hour to arrange and serve five courses each one is delicately placed in the lift that's too much that's too much everything must be cooked to perfection fillet of sea bass with citrus fruits and topped with caviar [Music] accompanied with a charlotte carrots all coated with a crest emulsion orange oil yep okay bring the rest yes this has to go out quickly the parmesan is then sprinkled with a precious balsamic from modena yeah being 100 years old it deserves some respect can we go chef [Applause] okay we're on our way [Music] the finishing touch of the meal is a green tea and coconut biscuit covered with a fine slice of fruit pate creamy chocolate and crystallized riviera figs the sophisticated presentation of the dessert requires the waiters to have a delicate touch this delicious dessert is the crowning glory of a whole week of work [Applause] the prince wants to see thank you very much thank you [Applause] the princess were very satisfied in the croatian president congratulated me for the delicious lunch it gives me great satisfaction to hear that there's always a lot of surprises a lot of emotions every single time always the same emotions and i say to myself let's move on to the next one which will be tomorrow for 24 years christian garcia has been living the dream like all those who work at the palace he is the guardian of a family tradition their job is to make the prince's palace and monaco a true showcase in the art of entertaining combining the heritage and their savoir faire to make the principality a shining beacon of hospitality around the world [Music] so [Music] you

Channel: Best Documentary

Views: 301,462

Keywords: documentary, food, chef, monaco, Charlene of Monaco, Charlene Wittstock, psychiatry, internée, absente

Id: pvztpoHDLJI

Length: 58min 17sec (3497 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 02 2021