Smith, Delia (1941– )

English cookery writer and broadcaster. The UK's best-selling cookery author, she has achieved huge popularity through numerous television cooking series, and sold over five million copies of her books. She first established her name with the London Evening Standard (1972–85), publishing her successful How to Cheat at Cooking in 1973.

Smith was born in Woking, Surrey, and left school at the age of 16. She developed her interest in English cuisine by reading in the British Library, and began her career by writing for the Daily Mirror magazine (1969). A committed Christian, she also writes religious books, including A Feast for Lent (1983) and A Journey into God (1980).