Ainsley Harriott

A generation of viewers has watched Ainsley barbecue his way around the world, rustle up speedy meals in minutes and host the longest running cookery series in the world. Before launching his TV cooking career, Ainsley worked as a chef in hotels and restaurants across London after training at Westminster Catering College. He worked in the kitchens of Verreys, The Strand Palace, The Dorchester and Browns amongst others, and set up his own catering company - "I've worked at every level of the catering business - and I think that it's an enormous advantage to know how to make delicious beans on toast as well as Lobster Thermidor." In the early 1990s, when Ainsley was Head Chef of the Long Room at Lord's Cricket Ground a producer asked him to present what became the first of his cookery series, and almost twenty years later, he is still hard at it. Perhaps it's because Ainsley's food reflects the needs of real life - it is diverse and delicious but easy to prepare and speedy to cook. Ainsley is also a No.1 best selling author and he has sold more than two million books worldwide, with co-editions in Dutch, Danish, Slovenian, Romanian and American. His best sellers include the Meals in Minutes series, Barbecue Bible and Friends and Family. His most recent book, Just Five Ingredients is full of quick, practical and delicious family meals using only five ingredients. www.ainsley-harriott.co.uk