Platinum Jubilee Cookbook

Published as part of the celebrations for Her Majesty The Queen's 70 year reign, the Platinum Jubilee Cookbook authored by Ameer Kotecha - diplomat, pop-up chef and food writer, presents 70 recipes from British diplomatic missions around the world. All royalties from sales of this book will be donated to the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund .

With a Foreword by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, the book brings together recipes – many of them served during Royal Visits – that are British, inspired by local influences from the embassy’s host country, or a fusion of the two. Throughout, the book shows off the spectacular food and drink produce found within our shores that our embassies are proud to showcase around the world.

Alongside the delectable recipes, stories abound of culinary diplomacy in action. Ameer Kotecha delves into the Foreign Office archives to reveal diplomatic dinner party anecdotes through the years – the good, the bad and the highly entertaining – and provides contemporary stories of food being used as a potent diplomatic tool.

A mixture of recipes, food history, anecdote and stunning photography, this book is an engrossing read for anyone with an interest in food, diplomacy or British heritage. With contributions from Her Majesty’s Ambassadors and High Commissioners around the world, it is also a unique memento of an important part of British culture for the Platinum Jubilee, delving into an underexplored part of Her Majesty The Queen’s reign.

Minister of State at the FCDO and DEFRA, Lord Goldsmith, said “Food is a universal language and this book tells the story of how it is used at the tables of diplomacy – to win hearts and minds through people’s stomachs. It is a great tribute to some of the unsung heroes of British diplomacy: our embassy chefs. It also celebrates the contribution of British farmers and food and drink producers across every nation and region of the UK, whose products are as loved across the globe as they are here at home, and which The Queen and the Royal Family have done so much to champion during Her Majesty’s unparalleled reign”.

Minister for International Trade, Ranil Jayawardena, said: “This book rightly celebrates how food helps Her Majesty’s Government build bridges globally. It demonstrates how our High Commissions, Embassies and Consulates fly the flag for world-class British food and drink. And, above all in this Platinum Jubilee year, it is a wonderful tribute to Her Majesty The Queen from the people who work in Her name around the world.”