When we think of female cooks who have secured their place in history, a few names immediately come to mind: Fanny Cradock, Elizabeth David and Julia Child among them. And yet it seems one individual has so far been rather unfairly overlooked: Elizabeth Raffald. In his latest book, Before Mrs Beeton; Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper, food historian Neil Buttery sets about righting that wrong, taking a detailed look at the life and work of one of the UK's most important yet lesser-known female chefs.
Elizabeth was a forward-thinking 18th-century housekeeper, author, teacher and busineswoman who, in her relatively short lifetime (she died of a stroke at just 47), achieved a staggering amount. After a successful stint as a housekeeper at a stately home in Cheshire, at age 28 she moved to Manchester and, over the next two decades, set up a confectionery shop and catering service, funded two newspapers, started an employment agency for servants, and consistently championed Manchester-based businesses.
The entrepreneurial Elizabeth also set up and ran a culinary school, not only teaching young women the skills needed to successfully manage their own households, but also equipping them with a solid understanding of cooking and home economics too. Her influence over British cuisine is, according to Neil Buttery, not just monumental but unfairly overlooked, with the likes of Mrs Beeton taking credit for many of her recipes and ideas.
Buttery says that Elizabeth’s 1769 cookery book The Experienced English Housekeeper “essentially formed what we think of as traditional British food”. The book features recipes for the likes of mince pies, omelettes, ice cream, piccalilli and cheesecakes, as well as – arguably – the first recorded instructions for making macaroni cheese. Crucially, Buttery explains, these recipes actually work; for his book, he successfully recreated many of them, including the Hunting Pudding, pictured.
Many of Elizabeth's recipes were, Buttery says, “plagiarised and copied, ending up in countless other cookery books” – hence her name remaining a relatively unknown one. With Before Mrs Beeton, Buttery aims to right that historical wrong, shining a light on the achievements and lasting influence of a woman who had a huge impact on the way we cook and eat today. In his own words: “Mrs Beeton is our go-to bastion of traditional British food – most people have at least heard of her – it’s high time we allowed Elizabeth to elbow Beeton off that pedestal, to make room for the person who most deserved to stand tall upon it!”
Read on to learn about other influential female chefs who blazed their own culinary trail:
One of few 16th-century women food writers known by name, Anna Wecker was the first German woman to publish a cookery book, penning the pioneering Ein Köstlich new Kochbuch (A Delicious New Cookbook) in 1597. A nationwide success, the book was reprinted numerous times up until the end of the 17th century.
Famous for writing The Compleat Housewife – a cookbook published in 1727 that achieved transatlantic success – Eliza Smith spent her life working as a housekeeper in wealthy 18th-century English households. Considered the earliest cookbook to be printed in the US, the collection of recipes for foods, wines and medicines introduced readers to ‘katchup’ and bread and butter pudding.
Hannah Glasse’s The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy is still often referenced today, although the English author – who grew up in Hexham, Northumberland – earned little profit. Written for the average household cook or servant, the recipes include jelly trifle, piccalilli and Hamburgh sausages, considered an early version of a hamburger. Dozens of editions have been published since it was first printed, in 1747.
The author of 1845 book Eliza Acton’s Modern Cookery for Private Families, Eliza Acton is recognised as having created the template for the modern cookbook. The book is not only influential in terms of its recipes, but also in its design and layout; it has a contents page and, crucially, includes cooking times. Acton's recipes earned the respect of many famous cooks including Isabella Beeton, whose Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management was published in 1861.
You might not instantly recognise her name, but Irma S. Rombauer’s The Joy of Cooking is one of the most published cookbooks of all time – and, though it first came out in 1931, it can still be found in millions of American homes to this day. Aimed at the average home cook, this kitchen bible is filled with simple recipes, from turkey dinners to vegetable side dishes and classic desserts. It’s been revised many times over the years but has never lost its appeal, thanks to the input of Irma’s family members.
Perhaps Britain's first real celebrity chef, Fanny Cradock was a larger-than-life TV personality who captivated audiences with her effortless cooking instructions, French-inspired recipes and notoriously brusque manner. From 1955-76, she made cooking exciting and accessible through her many shows, and published a whole host of successful cookbooks and BBC booklets. Known for her cost-effective tips and tricks, her catchphrases included "this is perfectly economical" and "this won't stretch your purse".
A one-of-a-kind cookery writer who captured the minds and hearts of middle-class cooks with her exotic 1950 debut, The Book of Mediterranean Food, Elizabeth David is thought of by some as the saviour of British cooking. Perhaps slightly ahead of its time (it was released while Britain was in the grip of post-war rationing), the book was filled with ingredients like garlic, aubergines and olives, and inspired people to travel to experience the mouth-watering recipes for themselves.
Known as the Grande Dame of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis first made a splash in the 1940s when she opened Manhattan eatery Café Nicholson, a spot popular with celebrities who loved her down-home dishes. It’s her books, though, that really served to propel her into the spotlight: The Taste of Country Cooking, published in 1976, was the first recipe book by a Black woman to reach a nationwide audience in the US. It’s part cookbook, part celebration of the author’s Southern hometown, and it’s a true American classic.
The chef whose story inspired a modern take on a fairytale. Tiana, the waitress who longed to open a restaurant of her own in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, was based on none other than Leah Chase, New Orleans’ own Queen of Creole Cuisine. The late proprietor of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, Leah served the Freedom Riders of the Civil Rights Movement and several US presidents, and her legacy lives on, The restaurant is still open and thriving, offering the same delicious fare as it did back in the late 1940s when Leah took the helm.
Possibly the most famous food personality in American history, Julia Child brought French cuisine to the American masses. Her rise to superstardom started with the release of her 1961 book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Thanks to her TV show The French Chef, in which she charmed audiences with her signature exclamation of “Bon appétit”, she was ubiquitous throughout the 1960s. Her legend lives on, as shown in the movie Julie & Julia and the recent TV series Julia, with the chef portrayed by Meryl Streep and Sarah Lancashire respectively.
In the 1970s, Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor wrote about things that the food media is only really starting to embrace now: cooking intuitively, and telling stories about identity and culture through food. Her 1970 book Vibration Cooking: or, The Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl is a landmark publication, combining personal narratives and loose recipes to paint a story of her life and the racialised nature of food and food culture.
A celebrated food columnist for The Observer newspaper in the latter part of the 20th century, Jane Grigson authored many cookbooks during her lifetime, most of which championed European and British cuisine. Considered by many to be the bible of vegetable preparation and cooking, Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book is possibly the most famous, and continues to be a classic reference book for cooks and gardeners.
Actor and food writer Madhur Jaffrey brought Indian cooking to a broader audience 50 years ago with her first cookbook, An Invitation to Indian Cooking, which was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Cookbook Hall of Fame in 2006. A household name, Madhur has presented a slew of TV cookery shows and written a number of bestselling cookbooks, and is known for her straight-talking approach.
For many, Delia Smith is the queen of home cooking. With her calm manner, clear instructions and maternal presence, she helped revolutionise British cooking by making it accessible for anyone and everyone. Thanks to her thorough and easy-to-follow cookbooks and successful TV shows, she's one of the most trusted chefs around; whenever she recommends a product, it tends to become an overnight success (a phenomenon known as 'the Delia effect').
Alice Waters and her Berkley, California restaurant Chez Panisse set the foundation for the modern farm-to-table and market-fresh cooking movements. The restaurant seemed like a bit of a utopian experiment when it first opened in 1971, but the kitchen managed to work wonders with seasonal ingredients and an ever-changing menu. Chez Panisse is still open, and Alice is still recognised as having had a huge influence on the way many of us eat today.
Italian food writer Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking is widely considered the culinary bible for those looking to master the cuisine. From introducing different pastas and sauces to tips on using seasonal ingredients and exploring techniques, it's a must-read for any passionate cook wanting to learn how to cook proper Italian meals.
Back in the 1980s, Martha Stewart transformed herself from a former stockbroker into America’s master of everything domestic. Martha’s breakthrough book Entertaining came out in 1982, and by the end of the 1980s she had published several more – not to mention making regular appearances on US television. All of this paved the way for the Martha Stewart Living empire, which blossomed in the 1990s.
A Brit who moved to Mexico in the 1950s, Diana Kennedy is best known for her cookbook The Art of Mexican Cooking. The book is filled with clever techniques to bring out the best Mexican flavours, and was named among the top 50 best cookbooks of all time by Observer Food Monthly. The author is pictured at home in the Mexican state of Michoacán in 2018.
Jessica B. Harris is a food writer and historian who has dedicated her career to the exploration of America’s African diaspora through food. Her dozen cookbooks celebrate how food reflects Black culture, both in America and in Africa, the Caribbean and other parts of the world. Each of her books not only tells the stories behind the recipes, but shows readers how food is an intersection of culture, history and tradition.
Known for her intimate and often wonderfully carefree approach to cooking, TV chef and author Nigella Lawson focuses on what cooking should be all about: moments of joy, whether it's eating an amazing sandwich alone or serving a feast to friends and family. Her cookbooks appeal to experienced and novice cooks alike, with food writer Nigel Slater describing her writing as "lustrous, seductive and reassuring".
One of America’s most beloved home cooks, Ina Garten has struck a chord with viewers and readers who appreciate her elegant and effortless approach to cooking. Her landmark The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook came out in 1999, named after her store in the Hamptons. Ina really gained traction in the early 2000s, though, as she continued to write cookbooks and launched the Barefoot Contessa television programme.
Rachael Ray was first introduced to the world by Oprah Winfrey in the mid-2000s, and even at that point the cookbook author and TV host had developed her signature bubbly style. Rachael's main contribution to the world of American cuisine is the quick and easy 30-minute meal. Her philosophy is that cooking shouldn’t be intimidating and that anyone can put together a delicious dinner without too much effort or expertise.
The author of a jaw-dropping 27 bestselling cookbooks, Donna Hay is one of Australia's most instantly recognisable chefs, known for her simple, beautifully presented dishes. After starting out as a food writer for Marie Claire in the early 2000s, she moved on to publish her very own bi-monthly creation: the Donna Hay Magazine, and was already a household name by the time she launched her hugely successful TV career.
David Chang is the biggest star to come out of the Momofuku family of restaurants, but pastry chef Christina Tosi is a close second, thanks to her whimsical inventions like cereal milk ice cream and compost cookies. She started to work with Momofuku in an administrative role, but in 2008 David asked her to open Milk Bar, where she could exercise her creativity to create desserts for his restaurants. She’s since become a pastry superstar, with many of her desserts now considered classics.
Marcela Valladolid is from San Diego, California, but has spent much time cooking and learning on the other side of the border in Tijuana, where she could better explore the traditional Mexican cuisine that she's built her career on. Her first TV show was in Spanish, but she crossed over to English-speaking audiences in 2009 with the release of her book Fresh Mexico – and her career has only grown since.
One of Canada's first celebrity chefs, Lynn Crawford has had a long and successful culinary career: she worked for the Four Seasons Hotel group for 24 years, and now owns her own restaurant in Toronto. Her rise to fame began in 2007, when she was the first Canadian woman to be invited onto Food Network's Iron Chef America, where she competed against another famous food world face: Bobby Flay. Since then, Lynn's released a bevy of cookbooks, and hosted her own show, Pitchin' In, on Food Network Canada.
British chef and former supermodel Lorraine Pascale's career changed course when she decided to follow her passion for baking. After completing a foundation degree in International Culinary Arts in Pastry, she went on to work in renowned kitchens like Gilgamesh and The Wolseley – and, in 2011, she took to UK TV screens, presenting her hit show Baking Made Easy. Since then, she's released several cookbooks and fronted a variety of cooking shows on both sides of the Atlantic.
Few food bloggers have been able to cross over to mainstream audiences as successfully as Ree Drummond, better known as The Pioneer Woman. While many well-known food personalities have leaned toward fancier fine dining fare, Ree’s speciality is home-style country recipes. She started the site in 2006 and published her first cookbook in 2009, expanding to TV in the early 2010s.
The author of the extraordinary book Salt Fat Acid Heat and host of the accompanying Netflix series, chef and food writer Samin Nosrat is an unassuming and enthusiastic guide to the wide world of food and flavour. She got her start as a chef at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse in Berkley, California, but her curiosity about cuisine and culture has led her explore food around the world.
Awarded her first Michelin Star in 2016 at the age of 27 – making her the youngest German woman ever to receive such an accolade – Julia Komp is one of Germany's most successful chefs. A keen traveller, her globetrotting experiences have shaped her approach to creating the authentic, tasty and visually exciting dishes you'll find at her new restaurant, Sahila, opened in Cologne in early 2022. She's appeared on a few German TV programmes too, including popular cooking show Die Küchenschlacht (The Kitchen Battle).
Known for championing Mexican biodiversity and sustainable production, Elena is no stranger to the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards; in 2014, she was recognised as the Best Female Chef in Latin America. She's an advocate of gender equality in professional kitchens too, and recently launched a female-focused scholarship programme for young women accepted into culinary school in Mexico. Named the Beca Elena Reygadas Scholarship fund, it aims to strengthen the leadership of Mexican women in the world of gastronomy.
Now discover history’s most influential cookbooks (many of them written by women)