Putin gets taster to check food for poison

27-Jul-2014 - Last updated on 28-Jul-2014 at 13:19 GMT

Putin employs a personal taster to make sure his food is not poisoned

Russian president Vladimir Putin employs a personal food taster to ensure his meals are not poisoned and the Queen hates shellfish, according to the chefs that prepare their food.

The members of the Club des Chefs des Chefs, which prepare meals for heads of state and world leaders, made the revelations at a recent meeting in London, according to media reports.

Gilles Bragard, founder of the group of 27 elite chefs, said that “tasters still exist but only in the Kremlin, where a doctor checks every dish with the chef”.

Other leaks served up at the meeting included US president Barack Obama’s dislike of beetroot and Prince Philip preferring beer to wine with his lunch.

Obama and his wife Michelle are said to like ‘most’ other fruit and vegetables.

Hates artichokes, loves cheese

French president Francois Hollande hates artichokes, but – like German chancellor Angela Merkel – loves cheese.

The members of Club des Chefs des Chefs also revealed that former US president George Bush once had two former FBI agents taste every one of his meals during a trip to London.

Anton Mosimann, a visiting chef to 10 Downing Street who has cooked for several British prime ministers, revealed that Margaret Thatcher once asked for an unusually lavish meal to entertain the then French President François Mitterrand.

After Mosimann created a dish of veal steak with morille mushrooms, she is said to have congratulated him but questioned the expense of the meal.