Chester Boyd wins deal to run public café at Buckingham Palace

City event caterer Chester Boyd has been appointed to run the first public café at Buckingham Palace.

It opened today ahead of the Palace receiving 350,000-plus visitors during August and September when it opens to the public.

Chester Boyd, part of Charlton House, will serve tea, coffee and cakes to up to 8,000 daily guests. Since 2006, the caterer has run the Queen's garden parties (pictured) from 25 June to 24 July.

There were eight this year and the 50,000-plus guests consumed more than 30,000 cups of tea, 112,000 sandwiches and 134,000 cakes. Visitors to Palace this summer will be able to see the ballroom set up for a state banquet for the first time.

Contract caterer Charlton House retained by King's Fund >>

Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Robyn Jones top vocational rich list >>

Charlton House snaps up caterer Chester Boyd >>

Chester Boyd wins a royal deal >>

By Chris Druce

E-mail your comments to Chris Druce here.