A chef who has cooked for King Charles has offered a frank assessment of Meghan Markle’s cooking techniques after watching her prepare a specific dish on her Netflix show. During a recent episode of the Talking Royals podcast (December 5), host Charlene White – who also appears as a panellist on ITV’s Loose Women – sat down with celebrated Italian chef Francesco Mazzei.
A leading advocate of southern Italian cooking, Francesco has helmed kitchens across the globe and, earlier this year, was honored with the opportunity to prepare a meal for King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove, the Royal estate. At one point in the conversation, Charlene shifted focus to the Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix lifestyle program With Love, Meghan, which recently launched a holiday-themed installment titled With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration.
As they debated whether the program qualified as a cooking or “hosting” show, Chris Ship, ITV News’ Royal editor, playfully implied that the accomplished chef Francesco was an avid viewer.
Chris said: “I’m sure Francesco watches all the episodes and learns many…” as the chef confirmed that he had actually watched an episode of Meghan’s much-discussed series. Francesco replied: “No, I actually did see one – one (where) she cooks spaghetti straight from the sauce.”
When asked to give his opinion on the preparation, he seemed hesitant about the approach. Francesco was direct in his assessment, stating: “I don’t think so”, which sent Charlene into fits of laughter. Elaborating further, he remarked: “I mean, I don’t cook spaghetti that way”, though he graciously conceded that “maybe she did an amazing dish.”
When pressed about whether it matched his culinary approach, Francesco simply responded: “No.” Regardless of his critique, Charlene admitted her affection for the program, describing it as “very LA” and something that makes you “feel warm and cosy inside.”
The Netflix series, With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, promises viewers “thoughtful, tasteful ways” to elevate the holiday season into something “especially memorable and meaningful”, per the streaming platform’s promotional materials on Tudum.
However, early critical reception has been harsh, with the production currently sitting at a dismal 0% on Rotten Tomatoes (though based on only six professional reviews) alongside a 16% audience Popcornmeter score.
Critics have been unsparing, with one dismissing it as an “onslaught of Christmas naffness”, while another drew comparisons to “a little Stepford Wives”, calling it “not informative, fun, enjoyable or even aspirational”.
A third reviewer characterized the program as “quite mad and a little bit sad”. Yet viewer sentiment tells a different story, with numerous five-star ratings appearing among audience feedback.
One enthusiast shared they’d “watched all episodes of her shows” and “really enjoy it”. Another praised the “Lovely, good vibes, good tips, good guests”, with their sole complaint being that episodes should run longer.
Another reviewer called it a “lovely, relaxing watch” and said it was “perfect” for getting you into the “holiday spirit”.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.the-express.com ’
