Becoming a cook was never on the cards for Delia Smith. Having left school at the age of 16 with no qualifications, she went on to work as a trainee hairdresser, a shop assistant and then in a travel agency.
At 21 she got a job in a restaurant in Paddington washing dishes, before becoming a waitress and eventually began assisting with the cooking. But apparently it was a boyfriend who kept praising his ex-girlfriend’s talents in the kitchen that made Delia want to take cooking seriously.
She spent time reading English cookery books at the British Museum, searching for inspiration and different recipes to test out on friends and family. Her big break came in 1969, after she was hired as a cookery correspondent for the Daily Mirror magazine. After, she gained her own column in the Evening Standard, wrote for the Evening News and Radio Times, before her first TV stint on BBC East’s regional magazine programme Look East. Eventually, she was offered her own cooking TV show, Family Fare, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Since, she’s gone on to sell 21 million cookbooks and in 2017 she was appointed Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CE) for her services to cookery.
How old is Delia Smith?
Delia Ann Smith was born on 18 June 1941, currently making her 80 years old.
Is Delia Smith on Instagram
While Delia isn’t on Instagram personally, her work website ‘Delia Online’ does have an Instagram account, which posts Delia’s delicious cooking with links to the recipes, which can be followed by searching @deliaonline.
Where does Delia Smith live?
Delia and her husband, Michael Wynn-Jones, live together in Suffolk, where she’s lived for the past 50 years. Speaking to The Guardian, the cookery queen said she loves the countryside and all of its offerings: “I love being in the country – the space, the peace and being able to observe the changing seasons on a daily basis.”
Does Delia Smith own Norwich City?
Yes. Delia Smith and her husband, Michael, are joint majority shareholders for Norwich City Football Club. The couple have been big supporters of the team, being season ticket holders, and were apparently invited to invest in the football after it was struggling.
The cookery writers most iconic football moment with the club dates back to 2005, when Norwich City played against Manchester City and Delia grabbed the mic at Carrow Road and yelled: "A message for the best football supporters in the world: we need a 12th man here. Where are you? Where are you?! Let's be 'avin' you! Come on!".
While her spirit was applauded (and the moment has become iconic in football) sadly Norwich lost the game 3 - 2.
How long has Delia Smith been married?
Delia met her now-husband, Michael Wynn-Jones, during her first journalistic stint at the Daily Mirror magazine, to whom she has been married to for 50 years. Michael was the deputy editor at the time and the pair clearly hit it off, as they married in September 1971. The couple have no children together, although Delia has spoken about how this is something she would’ve liked.
Speaking to Yours magazine she said: “Yes, I would have loved to have children. It wasn’t to be, but I have loved what I’ve been able to do by not having children.”
How much is Delia Smith worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Delia Smith has a whopping net worth of $36 million, equivalent to around £26 million.
What is Delia Smith doing now?
Back in 2013 Delia announced she would be retiring from TV cooking shows to focus on offering her recipes online via her website, Delia Online. It also seems she’s doing less cooking at home too as she told The Times that Michael does all the cooking now and that she’ll venture to the bottom of the garden, so that she doesn’t disturb him.
Our favourite Delia Smith recipes
Our favourite Delia Smith recipes
1 of 5Delia Smith’s Rich Fruit Scones
Whatever the time of the year, you can't beat a buttery fruit scone, layered with cream and jam (or whichever way round you prefer) and these simple-to-make scones by Delia only take 12 to 15 minutes to bake.
2 of 5Delia Smith’s Perfect Pancakes
While they seem simple enough to make, we've all had our fair share of pancake polavas in the kitchen. This no-nonsense recipe by Delia will leave you with a steaming batch of buttery pancakes in just five minutes.
3 of 5Delia Smith’s Christmas Cake
Christmas wouldn't be complete without a cake and the further in advance you make this, the better. Full of port, brandy and citrusy fruits, this recipe promises 20 slices.
4 of 5Delia Smith’s Apple Crumble
We'll take a bowl of crumble whatever the day of the year, but autumn really is the perfect time to enjoy this delicious dessert with a sweet almond twist. Don't fancy apples? Simply swap with whatever fruit you desire.
5 of 5Delia Smith’s Strawberry and Vanilla Pavlova
Pavlovas can be tricky to master, especially if you don't have the right recipe. Luckily, this one by Delia is easy to follow and will leave you feeling very proud when you pull your perfect-looking pavlova out of the oven.