The Duchess of Sussex was in her element as she and Prince Harry enjoyed a taste of Australia today.
Self confessed foodie Meghan visited Charcoal Lane with her husband, a social enterprise restaurant in Melbourne’s trendy Fitzroy suburb.
At a private lunch, the royal couple enjoyed a shared entree of mushroom and quinoa nest and chargrilled kangaroo and main courses of wild boar, saffron risotto and barramundi.
It was prepared by young chefs being trained by the Mission Australia programme, which assists young indigenous Australians into employment, in many cases giving them a fresh start in life.
Before the meal, they visited the kitchen and met Executive Chef Greg Hampton.
Harry joked: “You’ve got a very clean kitchen – is it always this clean? Especially clean today?”
Meghan slipped off her Martin Grant trench coat in the warm room before Greg talked the couple through an array of unusual herbs and aromatic spices, getting them to smell and taste them.
“A lot of these ingredients have been here for thousands of years. Our fruits are the same as fruits thousands of years ago,” he explained.
Showing them a finger lime, he squeezed out the fleshy contents, explaining: “It comes out like caviar.”
“Oh my goodness, that’s incredible,” said the Duchess.
But he warned the couple that the Tasmanian Pepper came with a kick, adding: “I don’t want to freak you out!”
Speaking ahead of their arrival, Greg said: “I would hesitate to offer [the pregnant Duchess] the pepper, because they are quite hot.
“The first time I tasted one I thought I was having an allergic reaction because the heat creeps up on you. I don’t want to freak her out.”
Crushing a leaf of Strawberry Gum, a type of Eucalyptus, he encouraged the royal visitors to smell it.
“Is that what Koalas eat in the Bush?” asked the Duke.
“Yes, but we can’t eat it in the same way,” replied Greg, explaining how oils from the plant are used to flavour marinades, fish dishes and even ice cream.
The couple was presented with Charcoal Lane aprons for the “touch, taste and smell” experience, but did not wear them.
Speaking ahead of the royal visit, Greg said: “We are here to support young Aboriginal people into the workforce, with a view that when they leave this place, there is going to be long-term employment for them,” he said.
“I’m not going to turn everyone that comes here into a chef, but if they leave here with a work ethic, it’s a win for us.”
Charcoal Lane currently employs 23 young people for 15 hours a week as they work towards a Certificate 2 in hospitality.
“A lot of them come from backgrounds where nobody has worked, so this is very important for them,” said Greg.
Programme Manager Troy Crellin said that in 10 years, the organisation had helped some 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders into work.
The Duke and Duchess’s visit to the restaurant began after they admired a mural outside created by Gunnai and Waradgerie man Robert Young to honour the building and the area’s indigenous heritage.
He told Harry and Meghan how his Celebration Dreaming artwork references Aboriginal identity, connections and culture in inner Melbourne Fitzroy.
Before heading into the kitchen, they received a Welcome to Country delivered by Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Colin Hunter.
Mission Australia CEO, James Toomey said: “It was such a fantastic and humbling surprise to hear that Mission Australia’s restaurant, Charcoal Lane was chosen to welcome The Duke and Duchess for a tour, hands-on cooking session and lunch. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the students to meet Their Royal Highnesses. Not too many young people can say they’ve met and served royalty!
“At Charcoal Lane, we are passionate about celebrating Aboriginal history and providing students with a culturally safe space to express their individual identities and overcome any challenges they may face on their journey to employment. Our program not only provides training and real work for young locals, but also fosters a sense of cultural and community pride which we are proud to have shared with Their Royal Highnesses.
“We also encourage locals and visitors to Melbourne to make a reservation at Charcoal Lane – there are not many places you can say you ate the same meal as the royal couple while also making a social difference.”
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The Duke and Duchess are currently touring Australia for the rest of this week, spending much of their time in Sydney.
Yesterday, the royals visited Dubbo, around 300km outside of Sydney, before arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, today for another busy list of engagements.
Their tour will also take in New Zealand as well as Fiji and Tonga.
During this leg of their tour, Meghan has been 'banned' from visiting the jungle to avoid the Zika virus endangering the baby.
The virus is a “moderate” risk on both islands. A palace source said: “They sought out top medical advice.”
The royal will be kept away from the rainforest on her first major international tour with Harry.
UK health authorities classify both Pacific islands as having a “moderate” risk of Zika, which can cause severe complications for unborn babies.
With Meghan expecting her first child, announced as they arrived in Australia yesterday, she will go for tea with the British High Commissioner in Fiji as Harry treks in the rainforest.
At a tea in Dubbo yesterday, Meghan enjoyed another tea with a farming family - even bringing her own banana bread to share after cooking it at Admiralty House the night before.
Meghan was also pictured getting stuck in feeding cows on the Mountain View farm.
The Duke and Duchess visited the farm to learn about how severe drought has blighted farmers' lives recently.
Although ironically, the heavens opened during their visit, with Meghan pictured under an umbrella as the rain became heavy.