A note from Taste Cheshire on the passing of her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. #News
Victoria Hayes
9th September 2022
There will come a time, in the future, when people will ask, where were you when you heard that Queen Elizabeth II died?
I remember from my youth, and even now, people asking me where I was when Princess Diana died. The outpouring of sentiment at the loss of our queen is somewhat unparalleled. I will remember it because I was at the Forge Restaurant in Chester with Chef Mike Robinson. It may seem a little uncouth to write an article like this just after the Queen died. But I want to be clear this is not an advert for a restaurant, a deal or offer for an event or even a PR exercise. It’s really a moment of reflection on this time, this moment in history.
When we got the news that the Queen had died, Mike Robinson stood up and made one of the hardest speeches of his life. He told a room full of mostly strangers that someone very precious to him had died.
Her Majesty the Queen was very passionate about this country and so is Mike, especially when it comes to the produce, the wildlife, the farming, the very land that we live on and live from.
When Chef joined us at our table tonight he told us a story about a dinner party he had to host for the Queen and her husband Prince Philip. Prince Philip was very interested in wild and sustainable farming. And Mike was honoured to present them with food and join them for dinner. He told us that at first he was terrified to be seated next to her Majesty the Queen. As anyone would be, worried about the etiquette and concerned that he would not know what to say. But with the corgis under the table, conversation flowed…about the mutual love of dogs, and shooting, and of course the land that they live on. He also told us that by the end of the dinner he felt comfortable and that he was treated as a friend by her Majesty. The joy of that memory shone through his sadness at her loss.
From the stories that I’ve read online and the tales that I’ve listened to in the media, it seems that our Queen was very much this person, she made friends easily, her sense of humour was dry and hilarious and was very much the nation‘s grandmother. There were mixed emotions this evening as we discussed with both sadness and reflection the life of a queen, while enjoying an incredible meal which celebrated the amazing ingredients available on our British Isles. From fallow deer to Brassica from Wreckfish to wood pigeon, The Forge Restaurant’s ethos of sustainability, local produce and celebrating everything that comes from this wonderful country whether it be farmed or wild, was actually the perfect match for this difficult day.
We agreed as a table that in some ways it was the best way to hear this awful news, because we were together, a situation where we could talk about how we felt, tell stories, share our feelings, rather than sitting alone with sadness. It felt like a celebration of everything British, and how proud we are of our Queen.
This country will forever be changed by losing the Monarch that has reigned for my entire life as well as the entire lives of both my parents. I will struggle to remember to sing ‘God save the King’ instead of ‘God save the Queen’ but I do wish our new Monarch every success in his role.
I will miss Queen Elizabeth’s kind, gentle leadership and her humanity. Everyone around the table at the Forge tonight agreed with me when we raised a glass to our late departed Queen, there will never be anyone quite like her.
Taste Cheshire would like to extend their condolences to the entire royal family for the loss of their Mum, Grandma, Great Grandma, as well as one of the greatest leaders of all time. We hope that you will understand that we will be taking a day of mourning and not posting on our social media while we reflect on the huge change in this country and our lives.
Thank you.