Delia Smith
One of our best-known cookery writers...
Delia Smith left school at 16 without any qualifications. She tried out hairdressing, being a shop assistant and working for a travel agency, before getting a job in a tiny restaurant called The Singing Chef in Paddington at the age of 21. She says it was her boyfriend's claims that his previous girlfriend had been a better cook which convinced her to learn how to cook!
Determined to study every aspect of English cookery, she worked through English cookery books in the Reading Room at the British Museum and tried out recipes on the Harley Street family she was staying with.
In 1969, Delia became the cookery writer for the Daily Mirror's new magazine, where she met her future husband, Michael Wynn Jones, who was deputy editor at the time. Three years later she started writing for the Evening Standard and was subsequently given a column in the Radio Times.
Delia's TV career began in 1973 with BBC series Family Fare, which ran until 1975. This was followed by Delia's Cookery Course, televised in three parts, backed up by various book versions. Her aim was to bring viewers back to the basics of cookery, teaching fundamental techniques, accompanied by easy-to-follow books filled with tested recipes. The book of this series continues to sell in good quantities thirty-odd years later.
Delia Smith's Summer Collection and her Winter Collection followed and, in 1998, the How to Cook series was broadcasted, teaching basic skills to a new generation of food enthusiasts. The accompanying book is her most successful yet.
One of Delia's other great passions is football - in November 1996 she became Director of Norwich City FC. With the recent sale of her publishing company, New Crane Ltd, it might seem Delia is hanging up the apron to spend a bit more time at the football club. Although despite selling her company to Seven Publishing, she will continue to consult the company and continue writing for Sainsbury's Magazine. She is also running food and wine workshops from her cookery school at Norwich City football ground.
Delia received an OBE in the Queen's 1995 New Year's Honours List and an MBE in the Queen's 2009 Birthday Honours List. In 1996, she was awarded an Honorary degree by Nottingham University, a Fellowship from St Mary's College (a college of the University of Surrey) and a Fellowship from the Royal Television Society. In 1999 she received an Honorary degree from the University of East Anglia and in 2000, a Fellowship from John Moores University in Liverpool.
Fact file
Name: Delia Smith
Date of birth: 1941
Place of birth: Woking
Current Home: nr Stowmarket, Suffolk
Education: The Singing Chef, Paddington
Similar Authors: Mary Berry, Anthony Worrall Thompson, James Martin
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Delia's Complete How to Cook
Hardback
Delia always has her finger on the button. For 40 years she has continually, throughout her books, writing and television programmes, enabled millions of people who lack confidence or experience to cook for their families and loved ones without...
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RRP £37.00
£26.00
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Books, eBooks and Audiobooks from Delia Smith
Delia's Happy Christmas
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 312 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 01/04/2009 |
| Publisher: | Ebury Press |
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Delia has long been the person we turn to for stress-free Christmas celebrations. This year, she celebrates 40 years of writing recipes and brings... Read more
RRP £25.00
£17.60
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Delia's Complete How to Cook: Both a Guide for Beginners and a Tried and Tested Recipe Collection for Life
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 704 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 05/03/2009 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Delia always has her finger on the button. For 40 years she has continually, throughout her books, writing and television programmes, enabled... Read more
RRP £37.00
£26.00
You save: £11.00
Delia's How to Cheat at Cooking
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 256 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 15/02/2008 |
| Publisher: | Ebury Press |
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In How to Cheat at Cooking, Delia has sourced a range of pre-prepared foods (from tins, chill cabinets, freezers and store cupboards) to help you... Read more
RRP £20.00
£15.10
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Delia's Frugal Food
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 256 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 30/10/2008 |
| Publisher: | Hodder & Stoughton Ltd |
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At a time when money worries are front-page news, Britain's most trusted cook, Delia Smith, is once again on hand with a wide range of tasty... Read more
RRP £17.99
£12.59
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Frugal Food (eBook)
by Delia Smith
| Format: | eBook |
|---|---|
| Published: | 30/10/2008 |
| Publisher: | Hodder & Stoughton |
Available for immediate download
This updated edition shows how to combine economy with elegance. With 170 recipes from soups to main courses and desserts, this book aims to show... Read more
£9.99
Delia's Complete Cookery Course: v.1-3 in 1v
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Paperback 640 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 05/03/1992 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course, the book that has taken the pride of place on everyone's kitchen shelf, has now been completely ... Read more
RRP £12.99
£7.79
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Delia's Winter Collection
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Paperback 256 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 07/10/2004 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Delia's Winter Collection takes up where her bestselling Summer Collection left off, completing the full cycle of the cooking calendar. It is a... Read more
RRP £12.99
£9.79
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Delia's Kitchen Garden: A Beginners' Guide to Growing and Cooking Fruit and Vegetables
| Format: | Paperback 168 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 08/02/2007 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Delia Smith has always been most concerned with the quality and flavour of the ingredients she uses, and nothing comes fresher than fruit and... Read more
RRP £17.50
£13.39
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Delia's Vegetarian Collection
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Paperback 264 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 07/09/2006 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Vegetarian food has become integrated into mainstream cooking and plays an increasingly important role in many people's lives. Delia's books... Read more
£17.50
The Delia Collection, Puddings - Delia Collection S.
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 144 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 09/02/2006 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Delia's eighth book in this enormously popular Collection brings us mouth-watering puddings and desserts. To satisfy a sweet tooth or round off... Read more
RRP £12.99
£9.69
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Four Seasons Cookery Book
| Format: | Hardback 364 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 05/06/2008 |
| Publisher: | Grub Street |
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First published in 1970 and re-issued by Grub Street in 1999, the hardback edition hit the bestseller lists and went on to sell over 15,000 copies... Read more
RRP £16.99
£14.09
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Delia's How to Cook: Bk.1
| Format: | Hardback 240 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 12/10/1998 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Delia's How to Cook is a simple-to-follow cookery course for people of all ages and abilities. In this comprehensive book series, Delia returns... Read more
RRP £20.00
£14.99
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Delia's How to Cook: Bk.2
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 264 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 09/12/1999 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Delias How to Cook: Book Two continues Delias simple-to-follow teaching course for people of all ages and abilities. With her unique powers of... Read more
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£14.99
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Delia's How to Cook: Bk.3
| Format: | Hardback 240 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 03/12/2001 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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In part three of How to Cook, Delia continues and completes her journey through the fundamentals of cooking, revising traditional areas that are all... Read more
RRP £18.99
£14.19
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The Delia Collection, Italian - Delia Collection S.
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 136 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 18/03/2004 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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In the fifth book of The Delia Collection, Delia teaches us how to cook authentic Italian dishes successfully. Old favourites and new recipes... Read more
RRP £12.99
£9.69
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The Delia Collection, Pork - Delia Collection S.
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 136 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 18/03/2004 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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From ham, sausages and bacon to fillet and tenderloin, almost every part of the pig can be consumed, making it one of the most versatile foods in... Read more
RRP £9.99
£7.49
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The Delia Collection, Chicken - Delia Collection S.
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 136 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 02/10/2003 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Autumn 2003 sees the launch of the first four titles in The Delia Collection a series currently planned to contain eight titles in all. In... Read more
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£9.69
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The Delia Collection, Fish - Delia Collection S.
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 136 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 02/10/2003 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Autumn 2003 sees the launch of the first four titles in The Delia Collection a series currently planned to contain eight titles in all. In... Read more
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The Delia Collection, Soup - Delia Collection S.
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Hardback 136 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 02/10/2003 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Autumn 2003 sees the launch of the first four titles in The Delia Collection a series currently planned to contain eight titles in all. In... Read more
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£9.69
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Delia's Summer Collection: 140 Recipes for Summer
by Delia Smith
| Format: | Paperback 224 pages |
|---|---|
| Published: | 08/05/2003 |
| Publisher: | BBC Books |
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Having sold over 1.4 million copies in hardback, Delia's Summer Collection is now available in paperback. It is a celebration of summer and all... Read more
RRP £14.99
£11.29
You save: £3.70
