Versatile talent

King Charles gives Stanley Tucci a special job

King Charles greets presenter Holly Willoughby and actor Stanley Tucci, whom he holds in high esteem, at an event at Buckingham Palace.(Bild: APA/AFP/POOL/Geoff Pugh)

The Italian-born American actor Stanley Tucci has accepted a job offer from the British King Charles III. 

The multi-talented star of films such as "The Devil Wears Prada" and "The Hunger Games" has been commissioned by the 76-year-old monarch to conjure up a menu for a party at the royal estate of Highgrove.

A meeting of cultures
Even though the 64-year-old regularly delights his fans on Instagram with Italian cooking videos and cocktail recipes, he will not be in the kitchen himself, he emphasized. 

The King met Tucci at a Prince's Trust event last year and, according to the Telegraph, was keen for the actor to attend a private dinner with the Italian ambassador to celebrate Anglo-Italian relations.

It was to be "a meeting of our two cultures", so he came up with a menu, Tucci reported.

"Wintery, heavy things"
The menu includes roast pork, kale and pumpkin - "all these nice, wintery, heavier things", revealed Tucci, who is married to Felicity Blunt, the older sister of British actress Emily Blunt.

Only seasonal produce is to be used for the menu - something that King Charles attaches great importance to. "Charles did this before anyone else. He was way ahead of his time," said Tucci, praising the King's preference for food that is in season and does not have to be imported from far away.