Peter Russell-Clarke facts for kids

Peter Russell-Clarke (born September 19, 1935 – died July 4, 2025) was a very famous Australian chef. He was also a talented writer, artist, and a friendly face on television. Many people knew him from his popular cooking shows.

He was especially well-known for his TV program called Come and Get It. People loved his friendly and fun Australian personality. He often used memorable phrases like "G'day" and "You beaut!" Peter even helped share Australian food with the world as an ambassador for the United Nations.

Peter Russell-Clarke's Career

Becoming a TV Chef

Peter Russell-Clarke is often called Australia's first "celebrity chef." This means he was one of the first chefs to become famous because of his work on television. His most popular show was a short cooking program called Come and Get It. It was shown on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for nine years during the 1980s. He made more than 900 episodes! He always started his cooking segments with the classic Australian greeting, "G'day."

Cooking for Important People

Peter Russell-Clarke had the chance to cook for many important guests. These included members of the royal family, like the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles. He also prepared meals for Australian Prime Ministers and other leaders.

Author and Artist

Beyond cooking, Peter Russell-Clarke was a very talented writer and artist. He wrote and published about 35 cookbooks. These books were filled with his delicious recipes and cooking tips. He also drew pictures for several books, including some fun stories for children. He even gave advice about food to popular magazines like New Idea and Woman's Day.

Before he became a TV chef, Peter started his career as a freelance cartoonist. He drew cartoons about politics and created a comic strip called Ben Bowyang for a newspaper in Melbourne.

Helping Australian Farmers

From 1975 to 1979, Peter Russell-Clarke was a spokesperson for the Victorian Egg Board and the Australian Dairy Corporation. He helped promote Australian eggs and dairy products to the public. His campaigns were very successful. For example, egg sales in Victoria went up by 5% in just three years because of his efforts!

Peter Russell-Clarke's Passing

Peter Russell-Clarke passed away peacefully in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on July 4, 2025. He was 89 years old. He was surrounded by his family when he died.

Books by Peter Russell-Clarke

• New Idea Cookbook (Southdown Press) ISBN: 0-86860-280-9
• The Awful Australian 'arry (John Walker Publications, 1969) (by Robert King Crawford; illustrated by Peter Russell-Clarke)
• The World is Flat: An Authentic Misrepresentation of Australian History (1972) ISBN: 0-9599084-0-4 (by Robert King Crawford; illustrated by Peter Russell-Clarke)
• Getting Across: A Guide to Good Speaking and Writing (Edward Arnold [Australia], 1978) (by Maurice Brown; drawings by Peter Russell-Clarke)
• Peter Russell-Clarke's Egg Cook Book (Schwartz, 1979) ISBN: 0-86753-000-6
• Peter Russell-Clarke's Come and Get It Cookbook: The Book of the TV Series (Macmillan, 1984) ISBN: 0-333-38035-5
• Peter Russell-Clarke's Freshwater Trout Cookbook (Pan Macmillan Australia, January 1985)
• Peter Russell-Clarke's Honey Cookbook (Sun Papermac, 1985) ISBN: 0-7251-0477-5
• Come and Get it Again: More Fresh and Easy Recipes From the TV Show (Australian Broadcasting Commission, January 1987) ISBN: 0-642-53068-8
• Food, the Dictionary (Sun Books, 1985) ISBN: 0-7251-0500-3 (written and illustrated by Peter Russell-Clarke)
• Aussie Outdoor Cookbook: In Association with the Australian Red Cross (Lothian, 1998) ISBN: 0-85091-939-8
• Pie of the Day (Lothian Books, October 1998) ISBN: 0-85091-882-0
• The Magic of Lemons (Information Australia, 2000) ISBN: 1-86350-343-9
• Magic of Olive Oil (Information Australia, 2001) ISBN: 1-86350-363-3
• Food Encyclopedia: Everything You Need to Know About Every Food (BAS Publishing, December 2005) ISBN: 1-920910-65-4
• The Adventures of Harry Lombard: The Magic Suitcase (Jellisen Publishing Australia, 2005) ISBN: 0-9758133-0-7 (by Michael Krape; drawings by Peter Russell-Clarke)
• Waltzing Matilda (Alto Books, 2008) ISBN: 978-0-9804914-9-4 (by A.B. Banjo Paterson; illustrator, Peter Russell-Clarke)