Delia Smith

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.

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