Downtown Ottawa is buzzing ahead of the Royal visit -- with food and fashion all inspired by the Royals.

The kitchen at Rideau Hall in Ottawa was a hotbed of activity Wednesday as preparations got underway for the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The Royals will get a taste of Canada Thursday afternoon from a menu that uses ingredients from across the country.

"We're going to be showcasing a very nice variety of Canadian products," said Louis Charest, executive chef at Rideau Hall.

The menu includes yak from Alberta, sea urchins from the north and cloth-wrapped cheese from PEI.

But Charest and his team aren't working alone to prepare the menu. Nineteen aspiring cooks are also helping out. One of those is Paul Finkelstein, a culinary instructor from Stratford, Ont.

"(The Royals are) the new generation. They're the rock stars of the Royal family. And for these guys, and the Governor General putting them at the forefront of this and having youth be celebrated is a wonderful thing," said Finkelstein.

Cookies and gelato

In the Byward Market, another culinary masterpiece is on display. Moulin de Provence bakery is showing off a Royal sculpture made from 80 kilograms of maple sugar. The shop will also release a Royal cookie on Canada Day.

"We're going to be doing something else very different. Like I said, with maple syrup and caramel for that new cookie for Kate and William," shop owner Claude Bonnet told CTV Ottawa.

At Piccolo Grande in downtown Ottawa, they've made special gelato flavours specifically for Prince William and Kate.

Prince William's flavour is chocolate gelato mixed with crumbled tea biscuits, based on the recipe he requested for his wedding cake. Kate's flavour is a combination of vanilla gelato, sticky toffee pudding cake and pieces of toffee.

Royal fashion and Royal swag

Meantime, fashion in the capital is also getting Royal flair.

Ottawa fashion designer Richard Robinson showed off his Royal-inspired haute couture on Wednesday.

"It's to also show the Royal couple that we have Royalty here as well," said Robinson.

And for those looking for Royal souvenirs, you can head to the Watch Shop at Sparks Street Mall where you can find Royal T-shirts and coffee mugs.

"We waited and nobody else made T-shirts or anything for them coming this week, so we made our own," said Tony Kano, owner of the Watch Shop.

The Royal couple arrives in Ottawa at 2 p.m. Thursday. Their first stop will be at the National War Memorial for a wreath-laying ceremony and walkabout at 2:35 p.m. before they make their way to Government House.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua