Prue Leith – författare

‘It’s taken me a long life to know for sure that life is for living, and that hard graft has to be worth it.So, if you are whacked, short of time or just don’t like cooking, cheating is fine. I cheat all the time, and I LOVE cooking.’— PRUE LEITHChef and TV legend Dame Prue Leith brings us the cookbook you’ve always wanted –  delicious foolproof recipes, with accompanying kitchen shortcuts and hacks, for a lifetime of easy cooking. Every recipe in this book comes with a handy tip, plus you'll find over 25 videos accessed by a QR code to help you learn a skill or get ahead.Coined by Shirley Conran in her ‘70s bestseller Superwoman, 'Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom' is a phrase that every time-poor cook can relate to. In this clever cookbook, you'll find really good recipes without the fuss: recipes where a neat trick can save you time, recipes where the cheat versions taste just as good as the home-made, and recipes to help you avoid waste and save you money. How do you cook the perfect steak? What’s the best way to dice an avocado? And what about when it just all goes terribly wrong?With recipes including Celeriac Rémoulade with Prosciutto, Rocket and Pine Nuts, Crispy Pork Belly, Buttermilk Chicken, Sushi for Scaredy-cats, Chocolate Almond Torte and Cherry Clafoutis, Prue’s handy hacks show you how a little bit of insight goes a long way.Recipes include:Chicory, Pear, Hazelnut and Goat’s Cheese SaladGunpowder Steak with Coriander ChutneyTomato, Chilli and Fennel Sugo with SpaghettiHerbed Salmon ParcelsBrown Sugar Meringue, Roasted Pear and Salted Caramel SaucePassionfruit Yoghurt CakesBaked Camembert and Olive WheelPerfect for every home cook, the absolute beginner, or someone who has been doing it so long that cooking has somehow lost its attraction - Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom contains years of culinary know-how and inspirational meals, squashed into an accessible cookbook.

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, MARCH 2026'I devoured it.' - NIGELLA LAWSON'Few people have aged so gracefully and enterprisingly as Prue. How she's done it is a revelation, full of humour and practical advice.' - DELIA SMITH'Oh my days, this book is an absolute JOY! It is like sitting down with your fabulous, straight-talking auntie who tells it exactly how it is... but with a big cuddle and a glass of something cheeky on the side'. - ALISON HAMMOND'Refreshing, honest and tremendously encouraging for those who are terrified of growing old.'- ALAN TITCHMARSHGetting older may have its challenges - but it can be a lot of fun.In this candid, uplifting, and thoroughly entertaining book, Prue Leith explores the trials and taboos of growing older - along with its unexpected joys. Part memoir and part reflection, Being Old and Learning to Love It is packed with Prue's trademark wit, wisdom, and no-nonsense charm as she takes a spirited canter through the triumphs, trials and tribulations of ageing well.Sometimes serious, sometimes funny and always engaging, Prue speaks with refreshing honesty about life as a modern woman in her eighties. Nothing is off limits: from love and sex, staying active, and finding fame on The Great British Bake Off, to friendship, family, and the occasional regret. She tackles the big questions we all have about getting older - about senility, time running out, dealing with grief, and her passionate belief in assisted dying - with the same frankness she brings to discussing when to retire, fashion & beauty, travel and gardening.'We all are heading for old age, if we're lucky. It's a mystery for the young and hard to navigate for many of the elderly. Prue lays it all out for us, in her wonderful, honest, way.' - VIN + OMI

From Great British Bake Off presenter Prue Leith. The LEITH'S COOKERY BIBLE is a classic. The most authoritative and comprehensive cookbook there is for seasoned cooks and beginners, chefs and caterers from the celebrated Leiths School of Food and Wine. Covering soups, first courses, vegetable dishes, salads, main courses, stocks, sauces, dips, spreads, puddings, cakes, breads, biscuits, preserves, canapés, snacks and garnishes, the Leiths Cookery Bible is truly exhaustive. In it you will find a perfected recipe for almost any dish you are looking for - Steak Tartare, Beef Bourguignonne, Peking Duck, Gazpacho, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Chicken Kiev, Thai Red Curry, Cassoulet - and for any occasion, be it a quick supper or cocktail party, picnic, three course meal or afternoon tea. The 1,400 recipes range from timeless classics such as Cheese Soufflé and Steak and Kidney Pie to more innovative recipes such as Salmon and Plaice Ravioli and Red Onion and Polenta Tart, and come from every part of the world, from Scotland to the South Pacific. In addition there are clear, illustrated instructions on how to perform every culinary operation from preparing a game bird to skinning a squid. From the prestigious Leiths School of Food and Wine, this is a comprehensive and authoritative cookbook that contains everything anyone could ever need or wish to know in the kitchen.

Culinary Taste: Consumer Behaviour in the International Restaurant Sector looks at the factors that influence our culinary tastes and dining behaviour, illustrating how they can translate into successful business in industry.With a foreword from Prue Leith, restaurateur, author, teacher, and prolific cookery writer and novelist, and a list of well-known and respected international contributors from the UK, France, Australia and Hong Kong, this text discusses the issues involved from a multitude of angles.

'Under the bracken, under the soil, under the forest, under the water, the garden's history is there. It needs an ardent lover to find it.' Lotte is in unfamiliar territory. After a divorce and a great deal of soul-searching, she has abandoned her successful career as an architect for a degree in garden history, and uprooted her three children to take a job as head gardener to millionaire Brody Keegan at Maddon Park in Oxfordshire. Brody is as ignorant about gardens as Lotte is knowledgeable, his tastes as loud as hers are quiet. They have little in common except a passion for Maddon Park and a determination to get their own way. As Lotte locks horns with her boss and his spoilt young wife, she finds herself on an emotional roller coaster. She knows what is right for the garden, but - still raw from divorce, anxious about the children and frightened of entanglement - she is less sure of what is right for her.

Culinary Taste: Consumer Behaviour in the International Restaurant Sector looks at the factors that influence our culinary tastes and dining behaviour, illustrating how they can translate into successful business in industry.With a foreword from Prue Leith, restaurateur, author, teacher, and prolific cookery writer and novelist, and a list of well-known and respected international contributors from the UK, France, Australia and Hong Kong, this text discusses the issues involved from a multitude of angles.

Former Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith draws on a life-long passion for food with one hundred recipes from her own kitchen table.'These are dishes everyone will love' – BBC Good FoodInside are quick-to-whip-up suppers and dinner party showstoppers that are as much a pleasure to cook as to eat. Expect firmly established favourites, lazy leftovers, meat-free meals, exciting new flavour combinations and fresh takes on classic dishes. There’s also a chapter of puds inspired by Prue’s time on Bake Off – every one guaranteed to be ‘worth the calories’.Whether it’s Halibut with Green Linguine, Fast Roast Teriyaki Lamb or Slow-cooked Rat-a-tat-touille, these are delicious, fuss-free dishes that Prue has cooked countless times for family and friends.This is Prue's first cookery book in twenty-five years, and she has woven intimate and witty stories from her life around many of the recipes. Celebrating the food we all want to make at home, Prue gives an unparalleled view into the cooking life and style of one of the nation’s best-loved cooks.'Her writing style is like that of a friendly teacher – gently guiding, with honest, gently witty and accessible text . . . Offering tasty dishes that are realistic to make when you're busy' – Evening Standard

'This book makes me happy. The recipes are inspirational and delicious.' – Tom KitchinDiscover 100 delicious, heartwarming vegetarian and vegan recipes in The Vegetarian Kitchen by Prue Leith – celebrated chef and former Bake Off judge – and her niece Peta Leith, a former chef at The Ivy and lifelong vegetarian.This gorgeous cookbook features simple, meat-free family dishes that bring delight to the extended Leith family table, time and time again. Recipes include Black Bean Chilli with Lime Salsa, Blackberry and Lemon Pavlova and Lemon and Bing Cherry and Almond Cake. Forty-two of these recipes can be made vegan.We all need easy and delicious foods – whether on busy weeknights or lovely long Sunday lunches. This book contains nourishing, refreshing, joyful main meals, many of which are vegan, and all of which bring their combined wealth of cookery knowledge to your kitchen.'These plant-based recipes are homely, hearty and delicious. They have the virtue to be simple and embrace all the rules of provenance and best cooking ethics.' – Raymond Blanc

'There's an art to making good toast and Prue Leith knows it' Yotam OttolenghiWhat’s more comforting and satisfying than toast? And topped with a few cleverly paired ingredients, it can be a full meal, not to mention pure bliss. These 75 recipes for things on toast will help you make quick, delicious and versatile meals year-round – for working–from-home lunches and cosy Sunday suppers, to light bites, indulgent treats or impressive canapés. Recipes include:Avocado, summer tomatoes & tapenade rocket on olive bread Bubble & squeak with hollandaise on fried bread Falafel, edamame & red pepper hummus on flatbread Grilled chicken tikka with yoghurt on naan Smoked salmon, wasabi & avocado on granary bread Bliss on Toast is as much a toolkit for quick fridge-raids as it is inspiration for seasonal delights. With 82 years’ experience of good eating and 60 years of cooking, writing about and judging food, there is no-one who better knows what makes a meal bliss than Dame Prue Leith.'A beautiful example of how to turn something simple into the extraordinary ... A must for the home cook' Tom Kerridge'What could be better – my favourite things, Prue Leith and toast' Sandi Toksvig'Give Prue a piece of toast and she'll turn it into a piece of heaven' Vanessa Feltz'A delightful book for cooks in a hurry' Matt LucasThe Daily Mail Best Cookbooks of the Year 2022

How are great turning points in history experienced by individuals?As Britain pulls away from Europe great British writers come together to give voice to their innermost feelings. These writers include novelists, writers of books for children, of comic books, humourists, historians, biographers, nature writers, film writers, travel writers, writers young and old and from an extraordinary range of backgrounds. Most are famous perhaps because they have won the Booker or other literary prizes, written bestsellers, changed the face of popular culture or sold millions of records. Others are not yet household names but write with depth of insight and feeling.There is some extraordinary writing in this book. Some of these pieces are expressions of love of particular places in Europe. Some are true stories, some nostalgic, some hopeful. Some are cries of pain. There are hilarious pieces. There are cries of pain and regret. Some pieces are quietly devastating. All are passionate.Conceived as a love letter to Europe, this book may also help reawaken love for Britain. It shows the unique richness and diversity of British cultures, a multitude of voices in harmony.Contributors include:Hugh Aldersey-Williams, Philip Ardagh, Jake Arnott, Patricia Atkinson, Paul Atterbury, Richard Beard, Mary Beard, Don Boyd, Melvyn Bragg, Gyles Brandreth, Kathleen Burke, James Buxton, Philip Carr, Brian Catling, Shami Chakrabarti, Chris Cleave, Mark Cocker, Peter Conradi , Heather Cooper, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Roger Crowley, David Crystal, William Dalrymple, Lindsey Davies, Margaret Drabble, Mark Ellen, Richard Evans, Michel Faber, Sebastian Faulks, Ranulph Fiennes, Robert Fox, James Fox, Neil Gaiman, Evelyn Glennie, James Hanning, Nick Hayes, Alan Hollinghurst, Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Will Hutton, Robert Irwin, Holly Johnson , Liane Jones, Ruth Jones, Sam Jordison, Kapka Kassabova, AL Kennedy, Hermione Lee, Prue Leith, Patrick Lenox, Roger Lewis, David Lindo, Penelope Lively, Beth Lync, Richard Mabey, Sue MacGregor, Ian Martin, Frank McDonough, Jonathan Meades, Andrew Miller, Deborah Moggach, Ben Moor, Alan Moore, Paul Morley, Jackie Morris, Charles Nicholl, Richard Overy, Chris Riddell, Adam Roberts, Tony Robinson, Lee Rourke, Sophie Sabbage, Marcus Sedgwick, Richard Shirreff, Paul Stanford, Isy Suttie, Sandi Toksvig, Colin Tudge, Ed Vulliamy, Anna Whitelock, Kate Williams, Michael Wood, Louisa Young

Originally published as Relish, a fully revised and updated edition of the eye-opening story of one woman's incredible appetite for life: Dame Prue Leith, judge of hit show GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF, tells all from childhood in South Africa to becoming a DBE.'What a terrific tale it is - of a South African girl who could stand the heat and made the kitchen into a remarkable career' TelegraphPrue Leith describes herself as greedy in all senses of the word. Cook, caterer, restaurateur, food writer, journalist, novelist, businesswoman, teacher, television presenter, charity worker, lover, wife and mother, she has certainly lived life to the full. Prue came to London in the early 1960s and, not long afterwards, opened Leith's Restaurant. By the mid-seventies she was a food columnist on the Daily Mail, had published several cookbooks and opened Leith's School of Food and Wine. But it wasn't all work. Prue writes with honesty of her love life, her longing for children, the birth of her son, the adoption of her daughter and much else besides. In this fully revised and updated edition she tells of how she met, fell in love with and married John Playfair as well as her exciting role as a judge on Great British Bake Off, now a hit show in the United States as well as the UK. Prue's down-to-earth attitude to life and her remarkable energy are an inspiration to women readers everywhere.

Gripping family drama from household name Prue Leith. Perfect for fans of Penny Vincenzi and Barbara Taylor Bradford.'An unmissable read packed with secrets and revelations' OK!The Angelotti family reels when the lost son, given up for adoption in the war, traces his birth family and returns to the fold, with devastating consequences. As poverty-stricken newlyweds, Laura and Giovanni Angelotti were forced to put their first child - a boy - up for adoption. They have had other children since, and their first little Italian cafe has become a restaurant empire, but Laura is still haunted by thoughts of the baby she lost.Tom is a successful businessman enjoying the fast-paced City lifestyle - until his best friend and business partner is killed in the 9/11 attacks and his world turns upside down. Searching for meaning in his life, he decides to track down his birth family: the Angelottis.But Laura has been keeping an explosive secret about Tom's parentage that means his reappearance in her life is bittersweet. She may have found her son, but will it be at the cost of everything it has taken her fifty years to build?

Epic multi-generational family saga from household name Prue Leith, perfect for fans of Penny Vincenzi and Barbara Taylor Bradford.A proud family. Snubbed by aristocratic neighbour Lord Frampton at a coming-of-age ball, Donald Oliver dreams of the day he'll have his vengeance.A wild daughter. Laura Oliver, beautiful and tempestuous, falls in love with Giovanni, an Italian ex-prisoner-of-war, now a humble cook. Disdaining her father's snobbishness - and his wrath - the couple flee to London.A desperate hope. Giovanni and Laura arrive to a city that has not yet re-awoken after the traumas of war. Facing destitution, only their love for one another and their dream of opening a restaurant business keeps them going.From Cotswolds farmland to London fish markets, society ballrooms to icy gutters, this is a tale of prejudice and ambition, power and passion, and one couple's struggle to overcome all obstacles and carve out a life of their own.

Emotional family saga following the Angelotti food dynasty, from household name Prue Leith. Perfect for fans of Penny Vincenzi and Barbara Taylor Bradford.A new generation. It is 1968. Angelica Angelotti has grown up in her parents' Italian restaurant. Now she is striking out on her own in Paris. There she falls in love with her charismatic but unpredictable cousin Mario.A fresh challenge. Navigating a blossoming career, from the Savoy hotel to the world of television, alongside an increasingly toxic relationship proves impossible. The offer to run the pub on her family's estate as a restaurant seems like the perfect escape. Chorlton has called her home...A brighter future. Soon she has a thriving business, and even the chance of a new love. But when Mario reappears, determined to win her back, will Angelica be able to hold on to everything she's sacrificed so much for?

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, MARCH 2026'I devoured it.' - NIGELLA LAWSON'Few people have aged so gracefully and enterprisingly as Prue. How she's done it is a revelation, full of humour and practical advice.' - DELIA SMITH'Oh my days, this book is an absolute JOY! It is like sitting down with your fabulous, straight-talking auntie who tells it exactly how it is... but with a big cuddle and a glass of something cheeky on the side'. - ALISON HAMMOND'Refreshing, honest and tremendously encouraging for those who are terrified of growing old.'- ALAN TITCHMARSHGetting older may have its challenges - but it can be a lot of fun.In this candid, uplifting, and thoroughly entertaining book, Prue Leith explores the trials and taboos of growing older - along with its unexpected joys. Part memoir and part reflection, Being Old and Learning to Love It is packed with Prue's trademark wit, wisdom, and no-nonsense charm as she takes a spirited canter through the triumphs, trials and tribulations of ageing well.Sometimes serious, sometimes funny and always engaging, Prue speaks with refreshing honesty about life as a modern woman in her eighties. Nothing is off limits: from love and sex, staying active, and finding fame on The Great British Bake Off, to friendship, family, and the occasional regret. She tackles the big questions we all have about getting older - about senility, time running out, dealing with grief, and her passionate belief in assisted dying - with the same frankness she brings to discussing when to retire, fashion & beauty, travel and gardening.'We all are heading for old age, if we're lucky. It's a mystery for the young and hard to navigate for many of the elderly. Prue lays it all out for us, in her wonderful, honest, way.' - VIN + OMI

Three single women in their fifties meet when they join a choir. Lucy, recently widowed, is a cook and food journalist; Joanna, a successful business woman, never married; Rebecca is a divorced interior decorator. Each of the women is at a crossroads and they quickly form a bond. The trio decide to combine their talents to restore a crumbling pile in Cornwall and turn it into a cookery school and spa. The project brings its own conflicts, both professional and personal. The novel's themes touch on the sustaining power of female friendship and how a woman copes with mid life and onwards. Prue's narrative voice is warm, witty, wise, very accessible. Her characters are sympathetic and engaging: very different women but each with demons to face as she gets older and confronts a future without - perhaps - a man in it. Her knowledge of food and business adds detail and zest, enriching an already compelling tale.

From star of Great British Bake Off, heart-wrenching romantic fiction about a scandalous love affair between a professional cook and a high-ranking politician. If exposed it could wreck both their careers.Kate is thirty-six and mother to five-year-old Toby. She has a thriving business catering for private clients and her life is on an even keel. That is, until she gets a job cooking lunch at the Foreign Office and has her first fateful meeting with Oliver Stapler, Secretary of State. He's powerful and charismatic, but also married and a father. He's totally out of bounds but she falls for him. When a journalist spots them together, he alerts the gutter press. Who cares whether Kate's affair with Oliver is true or not? It's a great story and will sell a ton of newspapers - and destroy several lives in the process.