Prue Leith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prue Leith
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Leith in December 2018
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Prudence Margaret Leith
18 February 1940 |
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| Children | 2, including Danny Kruger |
| Relatives | Sam Leith (nephew) |
Dame Prudence Margaret Leith, also known as Prue Leith, is a famous South African-British chef, writer, and TV personality. She was born on February 18, 1940.
She is well-known for being a judge on the popular TV show The Great British Bake Off. Before that, she was a judge on Great British Menu for many years. Prue Leith has also written many cookbooks and novels. She has done a lot to help improve food education and school meals.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Prue Leith was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1940. She later moved to London, England, to study cooking. She attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School. This helped her start her amazing career in food.
Prue Leith's Career Journey
Prue Leith has had a very busy and successful career. She started her own business providing high-quality lunches. This business grew into a big catering company called Leith's Good Food.
Opening Restaurants and Schools
In 1969, Prue opened her own restaurant called Leith's in Notting Hill, London. This restaurant even earned a special award from the Michelin Guide. She sold the restaurant in 1995.
In 1975, she started Leith's School of Food and Wine. This school teaches people how to become professional chefs and also helps amateur cooks. She later helped start other cooking schools in South Africa.
Improving Food for Travelers
Prue Leith was the first woman to join the British Railways Board in 1980. She worked hard to make the food on trains much better. She helped create popular food outlets like Casey Jones and Upper Crust.
Writing Books and Columns
Besides her businesses, Prue Leith is also a talented writer. She wrote food columns for several big newspapers. She has written 12 cookbooks, including Leith's Cookery Bible.
She has also written seven novels and a memoir called Relish. Her books often involve themes of food and family.
Television Appearances
Prue Leith first appeared on TV in the 1970s. She presented shows for women at home. Later, she was featured in programs about her life and career.
She became a judge on The Great British Menu for 11 years. In 2017, she joined The Great British Bake Off as a judge. This made her even more famous. In February 2024, her cooking series Prue Leith's Cotswold Kitchen started airing. She also appeared on The Masked Singer in 2025.
Making a Difference in Food and Education
Prue Leith cares a lot about food and learning. She has worked to improve food education in schools.
Focus on School Food
She helped start a charity called Focus on Food. This group encourages cooking in school lessons. She also chaired the School Food Trust. This organization worked to make school dinners healthier across the UK. She is a patron of Let's Get Cooking, which runs cooking clubs in schools.
Other Important Roles
Prue Leith has been involved in many different organizations. She chaired Ashridge Management College and helped improve struggling schools. She also led a campaign to use the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square for changing art displays.
She has also been a director for many large companies, including Safeway and Whitbread plc.
Personal Life
Prue Leith has dual citizenship, meaning she is a citizen of both South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Family Life
Prue Leith was married to author Rayne Kruger from 1974 until he passed away in 2002. They had two children: a son named Danny Kruger and an adopted daughter named Li-Da Kruger. Danny is a politician, serving as a Member of Parliament. Li-Da is a filmmaker.
In 2016, Prue married John Playfair, a retired clothes designer. They built a house together in Moreton-in-Marsh, England.
Campaigning for Choices at the End of Life
Prue Leith's brother, David, passed away in 2012 after suffering from bone cancer. After his death, Prue began campaigning for people to have more choices about how they die in Britain. She believes people should have the option of assisted dying if they are terminally ill and in great pain. She has spoken in Parliament about this important issue.
Honours and Awards
Prue Leith has received many awards for her work. In 1990, she was named Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year. She also has many honorary degrees from universities.
She has been recognized by the British Crown for her services. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1989. She became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2010. In 2021, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This is a very high honour for her contributions to food, broadcasting, and charity.
Images for kids
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Prue Leith in December 2018
