Victory in the Kitchen (Hardback)

The Life of Churchill's Cook

Annie Gray

The story of the twentieth century through one woman's life and the food she cooked for our most famous Prime Minister, Winston Churchill

'Zingy, fresh, and unexpected: Annie Gray, the queen of food historians, finds her perfect subject. A book to devour.' - Lucy Worsley

This is the story of a woman who was not a royal, not rich, not famous, simply someone who worked hard and enjoyed her life. Beginning in 1882, she ranged through life in the country, life in the town, life in her own house, and in that of others. She travelled, married, had children and a highly successful career. For while Georgina Landemare saw herself as ordinary, her accomplishments, and the life she lived, were anything but. She started her career as a nursemaid, and ended it cooking for one of the best-known figures in British history, Winston Churchill, a man to whom food was central, not only as a pleasure by itself, but as a diplomatic tool in a time when the world was embroiled in a worldwide war.

Victory in the Kitchen is a culinary biography: a life lived through food, ranging from rural Berkshire to wartime London, via Belle Epoque Paris and prohibition-era New York. Through one eager eater, and one skilled cook, Annie Gray contextualises twentieth century food through two figures who were both intimately involved with it. Recipes include Georgina's German Kougelhof, Curried Brains, macaroons, Boodles Orange, Mousse de Maple and 'Chocolat Cake Good'.

Publication date: 06/02/2020

£16.99

ISBN: 9781788160445

Imprint: Profile Books

Subject: History & Classics

Victory in the Kitchen (Ebook)

The Life of Churchill's Cook

Annie Gray

The story of the twentieth century through one woman's life and the food she cooked for our most famous Prime Minister, Winston Churchill

This is the story of a woman who was not a royal, not rich, not famous; someone who simply worked hard and enjoyed her life. But while Georgina Landemare saw herself as ordinary, her accomplishments were anything but. Georgina started her career as a nursemaid and ended it cooking for one of the best-known figures in British history: Winston Churchill.

To him, food was central, not only as a pleasure but as a diplomatic tool at a time when the world was embroiled in war.
With this eager eater and his skilled cook, ranging from rural Berkshire to wartime London, via Belle Epoque Paris and prohibition-era New York, Annie Gray shows how life in service - and food - changed during the huge upheavals of the twentieth century.

Publication date: 06/02/2020

£10.99

ISBN: 9781782834458

ISBN 10 / ASIN: B07G4H9854

Imprint: Profile Books

Subject: History & Classics

Victory in the Kitchen (Paperback)

The Life of Churchill's Cook

Annie Gray

The story of the twentieth century through one woman's life and the food she cooked for our most famous Prime Minister, Winston Churchill

This is the story of a woman who was not a royal, not rich, not famous; someone who simply worked hard and enjoyed her life. But while Georgina Landemare saw herself as ordinary, her accomplishments were anything but. Georgina started her career as a nursemaid and ended it cooking for one of the best-known figures in British history: Winston Churchill.

To him, food was central, not only as a pleasure but as a diplomatic tool at a time when the world was embroiled in war.
With this eager eater and his skilled cook, ranging from rural Berkshire to wartime London, via Belle Epoque Paris and prohibition-era New York, Annie Gray shows how life in service - and food - changed during the huge upheavals of the twentieth century.

Publication date: 04/03/2021

£9.99

ISBN: 9781788160452

Imprint: Profile Books

Subject: History & Classics

Reviews for Victory in the Kitchen

'Deliciously entertaining'

 Daily Mail

'Engaging ... appeals to three national obsessions: the preparation and presentation of food; the lost world of great households, above and below stairs; and the private life of a national hero, Churchill'

 The Times

'Gray is an inventive researcher ... she likes to get close up to the everyday past'

 Spectator

'The queen of food historians'

Lucy Worsley 

'Annie Gray is a brilliant writer and scholar who brings a glorious combination of enthusiasm and greed to every subject she tackles. In the field of food history she leads the pack'

Jay Rayner 

'Popular history at its very best'

 Daily Mail

'Victory in the Kitchen ... recreates a corner of early 20th-century domestic life'

 Spectator

'Gray writes with great authority, verve and confidence'

 The Times

Annie Gray

Annie Gray

Annie Gray is a historian, cook, broadcaster and writer specialising in the history of food and dining in Britain from around 1600 to the present day. She is the author of Victory in the Kitchen and The Greedy Queen, among a number of other titles. An honorary research associate at the University of York and a Fellow of the Royal History Society, she has presented TV history documentaries including Victorian Bakers and The Sweetmakers, and is the resident food historian on BBC Radio 4's The Kitchen Cabinet. She lives in East Anglia.

Related books