Jennifer Paterson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennifer Paterson
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| Born |
Jennifer Mary Paterson
3 April 1928 Kensington, London, England
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| Died | 10 August 1999 (aged 71) Chelsea, London, England
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| Resting place | Putney Vale Cemetery, London |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Celebrity cook, actress, food journalist |
| Years active | 1982–1999 |
| Television | Two Fat Ladies (1996–99) |
Jennifer Mary Paterson (born April 3, 1928 – died August 10, 1999) was a famous British cook, writer, and TV star. She was best known for her TV show Two Fat Ladies, where she cooked with Clarissa Dickson Wright. Before TV, she wrote about food for magazines like The Spectator.
Jennifer and Clarissa were known for making rich, traditional meals from scratch. Jennifer loved to use lots of butter and cream in her cooking. She even joked that yoghurt was only for vegetarians or people with "a poor tummy"! They traveled all over the UK for their show on Jennifer's Triumph Thunderbird motorbike, with Clarissa riding in the sidecar.
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Jennifer Paterson's Life and Career
Jennifer Paterson grew up in an Army family. She once wrote that her mother didn't know how to cook and didn't want to learn. Her father was too scared to even boil water after two World Wars.
Jennifer was expelled from her convent school at age 15 because she was disruptive. Later, she worked at a girls' boarding school called Padworth College. She was the "social secretary" there.
After that, she became a cook for the Ugandan Legation in London. This made her a well-known person at London parties. She also worked on the ITV show Candid Camera.
Jennifer later became a food writer for The Spectator magazine. For 15 years, she cooked weekly lunches for important people, including the Prince of Wales. She wrote a book of recipes and memories from her time there. The writer A. N. Wilson said, "Jennifer Paterson is the best cook I know."
Jennifer Paterson was a devoted Roman Catholic. She never married or had children. She was diagnosed with a serious illness in July 1999 and passed away a month later in London. She asked for caviar for her last meal but died before she could eat it. After a traditional church service, she was cremated. Her ashes were buried at Putney Vale Cemetery.
Jennifer was a member of the London Oratory church. In her will, she left money to help fund their choir program.
Jennifer Paterson on Television
Jennifer Paterson became famous on TV for her cooking shows.
- Food and Drink (1993-1995)
- Two Fat Ladies (1996-1999, 24 episodes) (With Clarissa Dickson Wright)
- Have I Got News For You (November 29, 1996)
- The End of the Year Show (December 31, 1996) (With Clarissa Dickson Wright)
- Jennifer Paterson's Diary (1997, 12 episodes)
- The Rosie O'Donnell Show (September 23, 1997) (With Clarissa Dickson Wright)
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (September 24, 1997) (With Clarissa Dickson Wright)
- Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee (February 18, 1998) (With Clarissa Dickson Wright)
- Good Morning America (February 20, 1998) (With Clarissa Dickson Wright)
Movies Jennifer Paterson Appeared In
Jennifer Paterson also had roles in a few movies.
- Fish and Milligan (1966) as Lady Director
- Caravaggio (1986) as an Extra
- What Rats Won't Do (1998) as Justice Bradley
DVD Releases
The Two Fat Ladies DVD set includes a special 40-minute tribute to Jennifer Paterson from the BBC. This DVD set was released in the United States in July 2008. It has all 24 episodes across four discs.
