Award-winning Italian chef Emiliana Scarpa has taken her King Charles pizza and its accompanying bread crown to Buckingham Palace, having created it in tribute to His Majesty for his Coronation in May.
Ms Scarpa, who hails from Cagliari on the Italian island of Sardinia, beamed as she showed off her royal pizza, made with ingredients sourced close to her home city, and the crown made from the Sardinian bread pintau, which was baked by her collaborater in the royal project Graziella Frau.
This week the chef has demonstrated her cooking skills at The Italian Show, promoting local Italian produce and chefs and featuring demonstrations and tastings of delicious Italian wines, cheeses and other specialities.
Ms Scarpa brought her pizzas inspired by the Royal Family to her demonstration, showcasing her pizzas made in honour of the King and the late Queen Elizabeth, with the latter winning the Memorial Rodolfo Sorbillo pizza competition in Naples on the same day as the late Queen’s funeral.
The King’s pizza reflects his passion for the environment and sustainability, as it has been made with only the very best organic Sardinian produce.
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The King’s pizza dough is made with semolina and chlorophyll extract and topped with special Sardinian ingredients including sheep mozzarella and pompìa, a citrus fruit only grown on the island.
The “Sardinian garden” in the centre of the pizza is made with cardoons, wild artichokes, local tomatoes and Italian herbs and waffles made from pecorino cheese, while the crust is stuffed with a cream made with sheep ricotta and pecorino and topped with pine nuts.
The Queen Elizabeth pizza meanwhile was decorated to commemorate the passing of such a significant royal, covered in black for mourning and royal gold.
Ms Scarpa brought both of these creations along for The Italian Show, as well as the mustazzeddu, an ancient pizza from south Sardinia and seasoned with tomato, garlic and basil.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Ms Scarpa said she began cooking in 2016 as a way of “expressing her individuality”, adding that she has had to be “determined” to succeed.
When asked why she felt so inspired by the Firm she responded: “The Royal Family are undoubtedly an example of resilience. They has faced numerous challenges and controversies throughout their history, yet they have shown the ability to adapt to changing times.
“This resilience can serve as an example for others facing adversity. Then of course, it is easy to admire their cultural symbolism.
“The Royal Family represents a significant part of British culture and identity. Their presence can inspire a sense of national pride and unity, which can be important for a nation’s cohesion and shared values. At the same time I dedicate much of my work to my roots, trying to represent them in my own way.”
The chef even admitted to being a fan of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in spite of their ongoing feud with the rest of the family.
She explained: “I follow Meghan in Suits! I like all of the royals. At the end of the day, this is a family and so at times we identify with them, or we see that they also have some issues.
“The perfect family doesn’t exist, there is always some discussion and upset going on. Sadly, they are very exposed to the public eye, so their personal matters become everybody’s matters.”
