Royal chef Darren McGrady, who served Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and Princes William and Harry for 15 years, has shared his expert advice on cooking the perfect fried eggs. He insists that one common kitchen ingredient should be banned entirely: margarine.
Never Use Margarine for Fried Eggs
Speaking to Smooth Spins Casino, McGrady said: "Fried eggs, obviously, you need to start with beautiful, organic eggs, not the battery eggs. Then, it's what are we going to fry in? Some would say margarine – never, ever, ever use margarine."
He added: "Never cook anything in margarine; in fact, ban it from the kitchen. Even flies don't like margarine; it's nasty." Instead, he recommends butter or ghee (clarified butter) as the best cooking fat.
Choose the Right Butter and Eggs
McGrady advises using a good butter with high fat content and low liquid content to prevent spitting. "Get the butter hot but not brown, then start cooking the egg," he explained. He also stresses the importance of starting with high-quality eggs: "beautiful, organic" eggs rather than battery eggs.
For those avoiding butter, he suggests olive oil or avocado oil, but warns against canola oils or seed oils, calling them "not healthy."
Technique for Perfect Fried Eggs
McGrady shared his technique: "Don't touch it; let it sit there until the base cooks. Then you can baste it using a spatula or flip it over, which is called over-easy." This method ensures a crispy bottom and runny yolk, if desired.
Princess Anne's Wit
In a separate interview with Heart Bingo last year, McGrady recalled a moment with Princess Anne, whom he described as "fantastic" with a sense of humour like her father, Prince Philip. After a flight to Balmoral, an RAF gentleman asked how the flight was. She replied: "Have you ever flown before?" When he said yes, she quipped: "Well, it was just like that."
McGrady's advice comes from decades of cooking for royalty and US presidents, including Reagan, Bush, and Clinton. His tips offer a simple way to elevate a breakfast staple.
