Mary Berry is one of Britain's most respected and well-loved gurus of
the kitchen. The undisputed Queen of the Aga has been the focus of many
television shows and regularly contributes her expertise on "Woman's
Hour." The recent hit BBC show "The Great British Bake Off" has once
again put Mary back into the limelight and has reignited a passion for
baking across the nation. Inspired by domestic science classes at
school, Mary took a catering course at her local college before gaining
a qualification from the Cordon Bleu school in Paris. After a stint
working for the Electricity Board where she demonstrated to new owners
of electric cookers how to operate them by cooking a Victoria sponge,
and then as editor of "Housewife and Ideal Home" magazine, Mary
published her first cookbook, "The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook," in 1970
and hasn't looked back since. As well as cookery books, Mary has
collaborated with her daughter Annabel to produce their own range of
dressings and sauces which as now sold worldwide. But her personal life
has also been touched by tragedy, as her son William was killed in a car
accident at the age of just 19. With over 70 cookbooks under her belt,
there is no doubt that Mary Berry is one of Britain's most successful
cookery writers. Awarded the CBE in 2012, her gentle personality and
classic family cooking style are a remarkable contrast to some of the
more outspoken celebrity television chefs just one of the reasons why,
even after over40 years in the industry, she is so well loved. This is
her fascinating story."
