Dame Mary Berry

Culinary icon Mary Berry has been at the forefront of British baking since the 70s and has remained a well loved figure of the media ever since. From publishing over seventy cook books to fronting The Great British Bake Off as a judge, Mary Berry is a popular personality across generations and platforms. Sweet by name, and sweet by nature, Mary’s down to earth character resonates with audiences and her decades of industry experiences lends itself to entertaining after dinner speeches, and engaging cooking demonstrations. Best known in recent years for her legendary appearances as a judge on BBC’s The Great British Bake Off, Mary Berry joined the competition show for its inaugural series in 2010.

Alongside Paul Hollywood, she imparted her culinary wisdom on bakers’ under risen cakes and crumbly mixtures, a favourite with viewers for her charming and generous nature over the course of the six years she presented. Since the millennium, Mary has hosted a number of her own shows including: Mary Berry Bakes, Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites, and A Berry Royal Christmas, where she taught the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge a few Christmas classics.

Trained at Le Cordon Bleu School in France, Mary took her first job in the culinary world with the Dutch Dairy Bureau in 1957 where she was supported in gaining her qualifications. Combining her baking abilities with her flair for writing, in the 60s Mary became the food editor of Housewife Magazine and later for Ideal Home. By the end of the 70s Mary had published her first book, The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook, fronted her first television series ‘Afternoon Plus’ and solidified herself as one of Britain’s favourite family cooks, a reputation that she’s maintained throughout her career.

As an award winning culinary writer, Mary has published over seventy cookbooks with the sole mission to get the nation baking. From ‘Mary Berry Quick Cooking’ to ‘The Complete Aga Cookbook’ Mary has produced recipes for every level of chef, style of food and occasion, an example of her versatility and adaptability. Selling a combined total of over five million book copies, there’s a version of Mary’s recipes in homes across the country. In 2019, ‘Mary Berry's Baking Bible’ was listed in The Independent’s Ten Best Baking Books. One of the most experienced and revered celebrity chefs to have ever graced television screens and bookshelves, Mary specialises in cookery demonstrations, such as at the NEC Good Food Show as well as after dinner talks focused on her impressive career.