Prince William took an unsuspecting customer’s booking over the phone while visiting an Indian street food restaurant in Birmingham with the Princess of Wales.
The Prince of Wales answered a phone call and made a reservation for two as he and Kate were treated to a variety of Indian dishes at the Indian Streatery restaurant in Bennetts Hill.
After arranging a booking time and giving the customer directions, William said: “He knows where you are now, I probably sent him somewhere else in Birmingham so I apologise.”
The customer Vinay Aggarwal and his wife Ankita Gulati, visiting from London, then arrived at the restaurant ahead of their train home.
Mr Aggarwal, a software engineer, said he had “no idea” that William took the call.
He said: “It’s pretty amazing and a surprise. I didn’t know at that moment, but it’s a very nice surprise.
“Obviously (I will be telling everyone), it’s not something that happens often.
“I didn’t recognise his voice at all, this is the first time I was listening to him on the phone, so I genuinely thought someone was taking the booking for me.”
When asked about the unexpected phone call, restaurant owner Meena Sharma said: “All of us around him were really surprised he actually picked up the phone and actually said ‘this is the Indian Streatery’, and there was a genuine person on the other end wanting to make a booking.
“But I think he probably could have a role as a front-of-house manager, we could probably employ him to take phone calls in future as he did a really good job.”
William and Kate revealed they “love curries” and “secretly try lots of curry houses around the country” during the visit, which comes as part of a wider tour of the country ahead of the King’s coronation.
William even gave the customer directions to the restaurant
Kate said the food was “so nostalgic” and said she “loves spice”, while William said he prefers milder food, adding: “I’m a masala man.”
Asked if their children like Indian food, Kate said: “Absolutely, they love it.”
After meeting Mrs Sharma and her husband, Rakesh, the royal couple met front of house staff before heading into the kitchen to make rotis, a traditional flatbread.
They then took part in a cooking competition, judged by Mrs Sharma, which Kate won.
Customers Ankita Gulati and Vinay Aggarwal at the Indian Streatery
William admitted he would not eat the curry he prepared, adding “we will let that one just be in the corner somewhere”.
He also asked staff for their best tips on preparing rice as it was always “soggy” when he made it, while Mrs Sharma jokingly told them not to give away the restaurant’s recipes.
Kate and William went against each other in a cooking competition at the restaurant
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The restaurant’s menu features a cocktail named after each member of the family behind the restaurant, but William revealed he wouldn’t know what to call a cocktail inspired by his wife when asked by general manager Dhiraj Sharma.
The prince admitted he preferred vodka and enjoyed a Kamikaze cocktail as they were “silent but deadly”.
Meanwhile, Kate said she enjoys cooking Lebanese food and revealed: “I quite like tequila”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales posed for a picture with staff at Indian Streatery
