Cooking & Inventing Gourmet Food

Preparing gourmet cuisine was pure pleasure for Roy. A devoted epicurean, he credited his father with encouraging his interest in gastronomy. He may be the inventor of the quiz show but this chef didn't stop inventing there! He loved cooking and entertaining guests with recipes from the RWD kitchen. Whether it was a guestlist of two or two hundred, Roy thoroughly enjoyed applying himself to every detail of the meal. And this gourmet's (often impromptu) recipes were met with effusive delight. From soups to salads, entrees to desserts, he applied his particular gourmet talents to all.

Instead of ordering food or using caterers, Roy created banquet menus for cast and crew at his studio parties. He and his wife, Shirley, tested recipes for days beforehand, paying meticulous attention to layout and presentation. His recreation room featured a fully equipped bar and — though he didn't drink himself — Roy enjoyed playing bartender, mixing exotic cocktails for bemused guests. Guests would eat, drink and make merry between the feasts and libations prepared, games tables, and late night dips in the pool.

Roy enjoyed meals from the barbeque, and relished gourmet food. He favoured inch-thick, blue-rare steak — just run through the kitchen with it, he'd often joke — and occasionally flew in crates of live lobster, much to the horror of his offspring. Steak tartare was also often a favored feature item on his summer menu, Roy having personally selected the steak for grinding.

When travelling to Europe, Roy enjoyed bringing home delicacies of the countries he visited. Whether it was a gigantic round of cheese, exotic treats, or a vast selection of sweets, his luggage was inevitably laden. In fact, he sometimes took special requests from his family before departure, making his return particularly exciting.