The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) has announced that His Majesty, King Charles III, will continue to serve as Patron of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA).
The announcement follows a Buckingham Palace review of patronages organised by the royal household and the RACA’s former patron, the Prince of Wales, extending to over 1000 charities and organisations across the United Kingdom.
“His Majesty has maintained a close relationship with the RACA since first becoming our patron in 2013. Royal patronage has helped support RACA’s wider commitment to excellence across the culinary arts, alongside the promotion of hospitality as an aspirational and rewarding career path” said Lisa Jenkins, CEO of RACA.”
“Sara Jayne Stanes OBE, RACA’s previous CEO worked with His Majesty on several initiatives prior to her death in 2021 and Brian Tuner CBE, RACA’s honorary president and John Williams MBE, RACA’s president have attended many events with His Majesty and shared his wealth of knowledge and input into sustainability and harmony projects such as the Mutton Renaissance Campaign funded in 2004.”
The news regarding Patronage from His Majesty King Charles coincides with a new chapter in RACA’s evolution, with the recent appointment of Adam Byatt, chef patron of Michelin-starred restaurant Trinity and culinary director of Brown’s Hotel, London as the new RACA chairman.
Adam Byatt, said: “Witnessing his Majesty’s desire to support hospitality first hand at a visit to Trinity in 2021, celebrating the reopening of restaurants after lockdown, was one of the most memorable days I have had at Trinity. His kindness and desire to engage with all my team will remain with them forever.
“His Majesty King Charles is an acknowledged champion of sustainability, organic produce, and farming, and like RACA he is also dedicated to helping young people, we are privileged to have him as our Patron”.
Chef Williams who received his MBE from the then Prince of Wales in 2008, added: “Both personally and on behalf of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, I am immensely proud; it is a tremendous honour and privilege to serve His Majesty King Charles. His unwavering support since 2013 has been invaluable, and we are honoured to serve under his distinguished patronage.”
Byatt, a protégé of Ritz executive chef and Michelin star holder John Williams MBE, took up the role as chair of RACA earlier this month, as John Williams (who held the role of chair for 20 years) steps up into the role of president. Chef Williams takes over from Brian Turner CBE, who has assumed the role of honorary president of the organisation.
Turner CBE, who alongside late hospitality legend Richard Shepherd CBE was one of the original members of the Club 9 group of trailblazing chefs in the 1970s, was chair of the RACA from 1993-2004, and president from 2004.
