If chef Paul Cavalli comes to cook at your home, you're guaranteed to be served a right royal feast.

Paul's illustrious culinary career has included working at Buckingham Palace where he helped to prepare meals for the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. He also helped out with the canapes at Harry and Meghan's wedding.

He's cooked for pop stars, including the Bee Gees and Lisa Stansfield, and teamed up with high-profile chefs at charity events, including his mentor Raymond Blanc.

The 50-year-old, who lives in Chatham, is now offering his services rustling up anything from a buffet at hen parties, to a banquet at private residences or chosen venues around Kent at weekends.

He is still carrying on with his day job as a sous chef at an exclusive girls' school in Hammersmith.

But in the evening, if he's got a booking he spends time prepping his gourmet dishes in the kitchen at his house in Central Park Gardens.

At weekend he transports his food in cooler boxes and supermarket delivery containers to kitchens where he puts the finishing touches to the carefully selected menu.

Paul not only cooks, but serves guests at the table, presenting diners with a menu of their meal as a keepsake – and as an added bonus, he even does the washing up.

Paul grew up in Strood with mum Valerie who ran a fruit and veg shop, Apple and Pears in Gun Lane.

His mother, who has recently passed away, was a great influence as he watched her create healthy meals using fresh produce.

After leaving Temple School, a secondary in the town, he went to Westminster College to take up a catering course.

He did a three-year apprenticeship at a Radisson hotel in London, spending one day a week in the kitchen where he picked up basic hands-on skills.

He also worked as a trainee at Farthings in Rochester and later returned as the chef at Barnacles, also in the town centre.

It's there he met waitress Marie – and, 23 years on, the couple are still together.

Climbing up the gastro ladder, he went on to get a job at the exclusive Royal Automobile Club in London's Pall Mall.

He worked there for nearly 10 years, overseeing VIP events with prominent chefs, royal family members and preparing food for up to six different functions at one time.

Fancying a change, Paul took himself off to an employment agency in Victoria specifying he would like a role at a "private residence".

He was handed an address to go for an interview. It was Buckingham Palace.

He said: "I was shocked and nervous. The interview was intense. All of a sudden I was working with 30 other chefs.

"I never actually got to meet the Queen, but I would have a hand in preparing her breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea.

"Although she had all these meals which were pre-booked three days beforehand, she only really ate small portions."

On occasion he was seconded to Windsor Castle where he was provided lodgings and was responsible for the catering of the Windsor Horse Show.

While he enjoyed his time working for the royal household, he felt it was "too regimental".

He is currently a sous chef at St Paul's School for Girls in Hammersmith, West London during the week, so he has the freedom to work weekends as a private chef running his business Cavalli Cuisine.

He said: "I enjoy my job, but this gives me the chance to be creative.

The Queen only really ate small portions

"I cook at home for Marie but when she's away, I just cook things like sausages and pasta for myself."

He caters for functions – ranging from hen parties of six ladies to lavish birthdays for scores of people.

He offers his own menus, but does occasionally get some bizarre requests, like chips in tomato soup.

On a trip to Australia in his twenties, he experimented with more unusual food, like kangaroo meat.

He also recalls a challenging hen party.

He said: "I arrived at their Airbnb in Sittingbourne and there were 12 ladies, but only seven plates. We had to go out and get paper plates."

Paul and Marie, 48, who works in a bank, have plans to move to a gites in France where he will continue cooking up culinary delights in loving memory of his mum Valerie, who passed away last November.

But at the moment if you want to give your guests that "Come Dine With Me" experience without slaving over a hot stove for hours, why not give Paul a call?

To contact Paul, call 07708268700 or email paulcavalli72@me.com