Delia Smith
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Delia Smith (born June 18 1941 in Woking, Surrey) is a British television chef, known for her interest in food and teaching basic cookery.
In 1969 Delia became cookery writer for The Daily Mirror, with her first piece featuring kipper pâté, beef in beer and cheesecake. In 1972 she started writing for London's Evening Standard. She rose to fame teaching cookery on a television show, Family Fare (1973–75). Her How to Cook series (1998) reportedly led to a 10% rise in egg sales in Britain and her use of new ingredients, such as dried cranberries, or utensils can cause sell-outs overnight. Because of this fame, her first name has become sufficient to identify her to the public, and doing a Delia is the phrase used when preparing a dish according to one of her recipes.
Although she announced her retirement from the TV cooking scene in early 2003 (she will continue to produce cookery books), she has other business interests, including a majority shareholding of Norwich City Football Club with her husband Michael Wynn Jones.
She has developed something of a cult status amongst football fans in the UK after a bizarre, allegedly booze fueled half time appeal to Norwich fans to get behind the team, screaming " Where are you? where are you? Let's be having you!!", after the Canaries had thrown away a 2 goal lead before half time.
Her drunken display captured the attention of controversial Chelsea manager José Mourinho, who was very impressed with her fervor of support for the club citing that he would be willing to share his delectable selections of Portuguese wine with her.
Trivia
Delia Smith baked the cake seen on the front cover of the Rolling Stones' LP Let It Bleed.
In May 2005, it was rumoured that she would be taking the "boss" role in a future series of The Apprentice (though this is unlikely given the nature of her business interests).
Publications
Cookery books
- How to Cheat at Cooking (1971)
- Recipes from Country Inns and Restaurants (1973)
- The Evening Standard Cookbook (1974)
- Frugal Food (1976)
- Delia Smith's Book of Cakes (1977)
- Delia Smith's Cookery Course (3 volumes: 1978, 1979 & 1980)
- One is Fun (1985)
- Delia Smith's Christmas (1990)
- Delia Smith's Summer Collection (1993)
- Delia Smith's Winter Collection (1995)
- Delia's How to Cook – Book 1 (1998) (based on the television series)
- Delia's How to Cook – Book 2 (1999)
- Delia's How to Cook – Book 3 (2001)
- The Delia Collection (2003) (several themed volumes)
- Delia's Kitchen Garden: A Beginners' Guide to Growing and Cooking Fruit and Vegetables (2004)
Religious works
- A Journey into Prayer (1986)
- A Journey into God (1988)
External links
- Delia Online (http://www.deliaonline.com/)
- BBC biography (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chef_biogs/s.shtml#delia_smith)