Marguerite Patten
1452765
219546873
2008-06-15T19:30:51Z
Sealman
3792581
Correction
'''Marguerite Patten''', [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (born Marguerite Brown on [[November 4]] [[1915]], in [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]) is an [[England|English]] [[Home Economics|home economist]], food [[writer]] and broadcaster.
== Early life and career ==
She was born in Bath and grew up in [[Barnet]]. [[Hertfordshire]]. When she was 13 it fell to her to cook for the family when her father died and her mother had to return to work as a teacher. After leaving School and a cooking course Marguerite was employed as a home economist at the [[Eastern Electricity Board]]. She then worked as an actress in repertory theatre for 9 months and for [[Frigidaire]] promoting the benefits of the [[refrigerator]] as a senior home economist.
== Second World War ==
During [[WW2]] she worked for the [[Ministry of Food]] suggesting nourishing and inventive recipes using the rationed food that was available. She broadcast her ideas and advice to the nation on a [[BBC]] radio programme called the ''Kitchen Front''. When the war ended she demonstrated kitchen appliances for [[Harrods]].
==Television ==
She was one of the Television first '[[celebrity chef]]s', presenting her first [[television]] [[cookery]] programme on the BBC in [[1947]]. She has sold 17 million copies of her 170 books, and continues to contribute to [[BBC]] food programmes to the present day.
Her approach to cookery instruction included teaching essential knowledge and skills needed in the [[kitchen]]. Her advice and books were instrumental in improving the quality of British cookery in the post-war years, when rationing meant that more exotic dishes were impossible to prepare.
== Honours ==
She was awarded the OBE in [[1991]] for 'services to the art of cookery'. In 2007, she received the Woman of the Year award, Lifetime Achievement Award<ref>[http://www.womenoftheyear.co.uk/lifetime-achievement.htm Women of The Year]</ref>.
== References ==
<references/>
==External links==
* [http://www.celebritychefsuk.com/chefs.asp?id=17 Biography] at Celebrity Chefs UK
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2005_02_fri_05.shtml Marguerite Patten on BBC Radio 4] (includes sound clip)
* [http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/encyclopaedia!openframeset&frame=Right&Src=/edible.nsf/pages/margueritepatten!opendocument Practically Edible biography]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Patten, Marguerite}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English chefs]]
[[Category:English food writers]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
{{UK-nonfiction-writer-stub}}
{{UK-tv-bio-stub}}
{{food-bio-stub}}