There would be few people in the world who could lay claim to an apology from the Queen. Wanganui old boy Harvey Bourne can.
Mr Bourne was executive chef at Government House in 1990 when the Queen was visiting New Zealand for the Auckland Commonwealth Games.
As protocol demands, he was required
Just when he thought he had the Royal seal of approval, Mr Bourne was in for a bit of a shock when the Queen came to dinner after closing the games.
"She took me aside and said she had an apology to make," said Mr Bourne. She told him she didn't eat pork.
And if pork doesn't agree with the world's most powerful woman's palate, your only option is to change the menu.
A substitute menu was swiftly produced and the Queen dined in delight.
She and Prince Philip didn't eat much, said Mr Bourne. No slur on his culinary skills. The Queen, it seems, just isn't a big eater.
Later, Mr Bourne and the Queen had a five-minute chat. Nothing heavy - politics was off the table.
"She mainly wanted to know about my functions at Government House," said Mr Bourne.
The two parted with the Queen giving Mr Bourne a small gift, a leather pouch.
"She and the Duke were very down-to-earth. Just like a normal couple, really," said Mr Bourne.
"The Queen did say she loved visiting New Zealand. She's very fond of the place."
Prince Andrew and Edward have also enjoyed Mr Bourne's cooking.
"When Andrew came to Government House, he had two women on each arm. I think that's why they called him Randy Andy. Actually, I don't remember too much about what he had to say. I was too busy looking at the women."
He has also enjoyed the company of other heads of state, including the Prince of Thailand and the King of Spain, as well as screen great Audrey Hepburn.
Not bad for a school dropout, who couldn't wait to join the army at age 16.
"I tried to leave at 15, but the school wouldn't have it."
Leaving school without any qualifications had the blessing of his parents. "They were all for it. They liked the idea of me getting a trade instead of an education," said Mr Bourne.
Army life at Waiouru was everything he had hoped for.
There were, of course, many hours spent on marching and drills and time training in the bush in freezing weather, but Mr Bourne didn't mind. He was busily building a career in the kitchen.
The teachers weren't much chop (excuse the pun) he said, but he was a quick learner.
Time in the army was never dull; the social side was great fun. The late comedian Billy T James was a regular visitor to camp. He and Mr Bourne got to know each other very well.
Mr Bourne also got to travel. Two years in Singapore were a highlight.
Then, in 1986, he was posted to Government House's kitchen.
The Government-General at the time was Sir Paul Reeves, "a nice man who loved his food".
After 20 years' service, Mr Bourne left the army and then spent 10 years passing on his cooking skills to students at Wellington Polytechnic before settling in the south.
These days he has a high-powered job at Queenstown Resort College, where he helps young Kiwis in to the hospitality and adventure industry.
At 53, Mr Bourne has pretty much been there, done that.
He wishes he could visit Wanganui more often, where his mum and brothers - one is a twin - still reside.
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