Delia Smith English chef and TV presenter, author of the main culinary bestsellers in Britain Date of Birth: 18.06.1941 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Delia Smith
2. Career
3. The Delia Effect
4. Later Career

Biography of Delia Smith

Delia Smith is an English chef and TV presenter, best known as the author of the top-selling cookbooks in Britain, with over 18 million copies sold. She was born in Woking, Surrey. At the age of 16, she left school and worked as a hairdresser, then a shop assistant, and later in a travel agency. At the age of 21, she started working in a small restaurant, starting as a cleaner and eventually becoming a cook. It was during this time that she began studying old English culinary books from the archives of the British Museum, testing their recipes on the family she lived with at the time.

Career

In 1969, Delia started writing for The Daily Mirror, where the editor-in-chief was Michael Wynn-Jones, her future husband. In 1972, she launched a column in the Evening Standard, which she would continue for the next 12 years. Delia first appeared on television in the early 1970s as the resident chef on BBC East's "Look East" show. However, she gained true fame with her cooking show "Family Fare," which aired from 1973 to 1975. Inspired by the idea of educational cooking shows that taught the basics of cooking, Delia Smith produced a series of programs on BBC Further Education, accompanied by three themed cookbooks.

The Delia Effect

Delia Smith's popularity was such that the mention of any product or kitchen tool in her show instantly increased its sales by 10% or more. This phenomenon became known as the "Delia Effect." For example, after the first series of her show "Delia's How to Cook" in 1998, egg sales skyrocketed. Similarly, in 2008, canned minced meat and omelette pans saw a significant increase in sales after being featured on her show. The "Delia Effect" refers to the sharp increase in sales of a poorly performing product after it is recommended by a respected figure.

Later Career

In 2003, Delia Smith announced the end of her television career. However, in 2008, after lengthy negotiations, she returned with a 6-part series on BBC. Her accompanying book, an updated version of her 1971 hit "How to Cheat on Cooking," quickly became a bestseller.