Delia Smith Books In Order

Publication Order of Delia's How to Cook Books

Publication Order of The Delia Collection Books

Publication Order of Cookbooks

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Delia Smith is an English author of cookbooks and home and garden books. She is also a cook and television presenter famously known for teaching basic cooking skills to ordinary people in a practical and realistic style. She is a bestseller cookery author, with her books selling more than 21 million copies.

Smith was born in Woking, Surrey, to Harold Bartlett Smith, who worked as an RAF radio operator, and Etty Jones Lewis, her Welsh mother. She went to Bexleyheath School but left at 16 without completing O-level exams. She has worked as a hairdresser, a shop assistant, and in a travel agency.

At 21, Delia Smith began working in a small Paddington restaurant. At first, her job description was washing dishes; later, she worked as a waitress. Eventually, she was given the chance to assist in cooking. During this time, she began studying English cookery books at the British Museum’s Reading Room and experimented with recipes.

Delia joined Carlton Studios in London, where she prepared food for photographs taken in the studio. By 1969, she began her career as a cookery writer for the newly established Daily Mirror magazine. Michael Wynn-Jones, who worked as the deputy editor for the magazine, eventually became her husband. Initially, her work showcased recipes such as kipper pâté, beef cooked in beer, and cheesecake. She would later bake the cake featured on the cover of The Rolling Stones’ album Let It Bleed.

She started a column in the Evening Standard in 1972 and later moved to the Evening News, only to return to the Standard when it acquired the News. She wrote for both newspapers for 12 years and contributed to the Radio Times until 1986.
Delia Smith began appearing on television in the 1970s. She started as the resident cook on BBC East’s Look East, which aired across East Anglia. This led to her show, Family Fare, broadcasted from 1973 to 1975.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, she became familiar to young audiences through appearances on the BBC’s Saturday morning children’s program, Multicolored Swap Shop, where she demonstrated basic cooking.

Delia Smith’s book The Winter Collection (1995) became a massive success, selling 2 million hardback copies and ranking as the fifth best-selling book of the 1990s.

Although she announced her retirement from television in 2003, Delia returned in 2008 with a six-part series and an updated version of her 1971 bestseller, How to Cheat at Cooking, which became another bestseller.

In 2010, she starred in a five-episode series, Delia Through the Decades, which explores cooking across different decades. Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal appeared together in 40 commercials for the supermarket chain Waitrose in 2010.
In February 2013, she declared retirement from television cooking programs, aiming to focus on sharing her recipes online.

Smith gained fame not just for her T.V. work but also for her part ownership of Norwich City F.C. She shares this ownership with her husband, Michael Wynn-Jones. Her involvement with the club has garnered attention from the media. She has received positive reviews, like when she helped the club avoid bankruptcy. But there were also moments of criticism, notably when she made a controversial announcement during a game in 2005.

It’s said that Delia Smith’s T.V. show, Delia’s How to Cook, caused a 10% increase in egg sales across Britain. The author’s use of certain ingredients like frozen mash, tinned minced beef, onions, or tools like an omelet pan contributed to these items selling out quickly.
This phenomenon became known as the “Delia effect.” The term now refers to a surge in sales of a product previously not selling well.

Delia Smith, previously awarded as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), received elevated recognition in the 2009 Birthday Honours as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This recognition was specifically for her remarkable contributions to television cooking and recipe writing. Throughout her career, she has received several prestigious awards and acknowledgments.

In 1996, she was granted an honorary degree by the University of Nottingham and received fellowships from institutions like St Mary’s University College and the Royal Television Society. The University of East Anglia awarded her an honorary degree in 1999, followed by a fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University in 2000.

Delia’s influence on British culture was further highlighted in 2012 when artist Sir Peter Blake chose her to feature in a new version of his famous artwork for the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. This special edition celebrated influential British cultural figures from the past six decades.

In 2017, she was appointed as a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (C.H.) in the Birthday Honours list for her outstanding services to cookery.

Delia’s notable books include The Complete Cookery Course, which has sold more than 600,000 copies since its initial release in 1979. It is a comprehensive cookbook that has been passed down through three generations.

In response to her large following, Delia Smith compiled her finest vegetarian recipes into a single collection dubbed Delia’s Vegetarian Collection. The book offers 250 delightful recipes suitable for various occasions. Some of these include Tunisian Eggplant Salad, Wild Mushroom Stroganoff, Soba Noodles with Soy and Citrus Dressing, Oven-Roasted Ratatouille, Mozzarella strudel with Parmesan and Pecans, Apricot Hazelnut Meringue and Lemon Pasta with Herbs and Cracked Pepper. The book is filled with 200 colorful photos and is presented in Delia’s warm and unique style, making it a perfect addition to any cook’s collection.

It also contains extra tips that go beyond the usual. For example, there is a suggestion for the Thai Curry recipe advising to soak chopped lemongrass in lime juice before blending. The collection includes beautifully captured photographs. Some highlighted recipes from readers include Spiced Chickpea Cakes with Red Onion and Coriander Salad, praised for its taste, Vegetarian Pad Thai Noodles for its freshness, and Roasted Tomato Soup with a Puree of Basil and Olive Croutons for its comforting warmth. Recipes like Caramelized Balsamic and Red Onion Tarts with Goat’s Cheese are recommended for special occasions or parties.