Celebrity chef turned down tea with the Queen over 'worst nightmare' menu item

The Queen has consumed copious amounts of tea in her time. Photo / Getty Images

Italian celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo has rejected an invitation to tea from Queen Elizabeth, claiming cucumber sandwiches are his "worst nightmare".

D'Acampo, who has hosted a number of UK food shows and runs a string of restaurants, was invited to Buckingham Palace just before the Covid-19 pandemic. But he turned down the British monarch's offer of gourmet afternoon tea as he wasn't "keen" on the selection of food and beverages being served.

Of the invitation, D'Acampo said: "I'd love to meet her, but I don't like tea and cucumber sandwiches, and I can't do either of those things." Photo / Getty Images

Speaking to MailOnline, D'Acampo, 46, said: "I'm not very keen on tea or cucumber sandwiches.

"I was invited to the palace for tea just before Covid, but a cucumber sandwich is my worst nightmare.

"I don't like tea either, so I phoned my agent and said: 'I'd love to meet her, but I don't like tea and cucumber sandwiches, and I can't do either of those things.'"

D'Acampo – who married his teenage sweetheart Jessica Stellina Morrison back in 2002, with whom he has three children – claimed the last time he wore a tie was on his wedding day and having to dress up fancy was another reason he didn't want to go.

He added: "I'm also going to have to wear a tie, and the last time I did that was when I got married. I can't do that. But if I can have a plate of pasta and a cup of coffee, I'm in."

D'Acampo has made a name for himself hosting UK TV shows such as Let's Do Lunch, There's No Taste Like Home, and Gino's Italian Escape. Photo / Getty Images

The Family Fortunes host grew up in Naples before moving to the UK in 1995. At 21, he opened his first Italian restaurant and now has multiple venues across the UK.

Most recently, the cheeky Italian launched his own version of afternoon tea at his eponymous restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne. His menu includes an Italian twist to classic cucumber sandwiches by replacing the green vegetable with truffle cream cheese.