LONDON (EJP)--- The chef of the England international football team was "shocked" to learn that he would be banned from cooking the players food containing pork, bacon and ham when they stay at a kosher Israeli hotel this month, it has been reported.

The Football Association has booked 80 rooms at the five-star Dan Accadia Hotel in the resort of Herzilya, near Tel Aviv, when England play Israel in the forthcoming Euro 2008 match.

However in advance of their stay, the hotel has warned the England team, its officials and management, that they will have to abide by the laws of kashrut or laws of kosherness.

Meat and milk

England’s chef usually cooks pork sausages for the players, and mixes meat with milk by serving cheese at the same time.

Captain John Terry particularly likes Parmesan cheese with every meal, the chef was reported to have revealed, and the rules of mixing meat with milk will prohibit that, the hotel has said.

"The England chef was shocked when he found out he wouldn’t be able to cook pork, sausage and cheese together," Arik Porat, the hotel’s chef, told the Jewish Chronicle newspaper. "He said: ’What will I do with captain John Terry, who likes to have Parmesan with every meal - including meat?’"

No problems

In an official statement, the FA, however, said the restrictions would not cause any problems. "We are satisfied that we will have an enjoyable time in Israel, and we are looking forward to our visit," a spokesman said.

For its part, the FA has handed a 13-page list of demands to the hotel with strict requirements for management to abide by in order to ensure that the team functions optimally on the playing field.

It includes removing mini-bars and restricting room service for all 80 rooms reserved for the team, it has been reported.

"We are very thorough in our preparation for matches and this is standard practice," an FA spokesman said.

"We are doing nothing different in Israel than we do anywhere else."