Prue Leith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prue Leith
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Leith December 2018
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| Born |
Prudence Margaret Leith
18 February 1940 |
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| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 2, including Danny Kruger |
| Relatives | Sam Leith (nephew) |
Dame Prudence Margaret Leith (born 18 February 1940) is a famous South African chef, writer, and TV personality. She is known for her amazing cooking skills and for being a judge on popular TV shows.
She is the Chancellor of Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Before joining The Great British Bake Off in 2017, she was a judge on Great British Menu for eleven years. She took over from Mary Berry when The Great British Bake Off moved to Channel 4.
Contents
Early Life
Prue Leith was born in Cape Town, which was then part of the Union of South Africa.
Career Highlights
Prue Leith has had a long and successful career in food and television.
Starting in London
In 1960, Prue moved to London to study at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School. After her training, she started a business that delivered high-quality lunches to other businesses. This business grew into "Leith's Good Food," which became very popular for catering parties and events.
Her Own Restaurant and School
In 1969, Prue opened her own restaurant called "Leith's" in Notting Hill. This restaurant earned a special award from the Michelin Guide, showing it was one of the best. She sold the restaurant in 1995.
In 1975, she started "Leith's School of Food and Wine." This school teaches both professional chefs and people who just love to cook. She also helped start the Prue Leith Chef's Academy in South Africa.
Improving Train Food
In 1980, Prue Leith became the first woman to join the British Railways Board. Her job was to make the food on trains much better, as many people thought it wasn't very good. She helped create new food places like Casey Jones and Upper Crust for train travelers.
Writing and Television
Prue Leith has written many books. She was a food columnist for several newspapers, sharing her recipes and food ideas. She has written 12 cookery books, including Leith's Cookery Bible. She has also written seven novels and a memoir about her life called Relish.
Her first TV appearances were in the 1970s. Later, she became a well-known judge on cooking shows. She was a judge on The Great British Menu for 11 years. In 2017, she joined The Great British Bake Off, which made her even more famous. She also appeared on My Kitchen Rules.
Food and Education
Prue Leith cares a lot about food education. She helped start a charity called Focus on Food, which encourages cooking in schools. She also helped create The Hoxton Apprentice, a restaurant that trained young people who were struggling to find jobs.
From 2007 to 2010, she was the head of the School Food Trust. This group worked to improve school meals after chef Jamie Oliver showed how unhealthy some school dinners were. She is also involved with many other groups that promote healthy eating and good food.
Other Roles
Prue Leith has been part of many different organizations. She helped lead a campaign to use the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square for changing art displays. She has also been a director for several large companies, including Safeway and Woolworths plc.
In 2017, she became the Chancellor of Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. In 2024, her own cooking show, Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen, started airing on ITV1. She also appeared on The Masked Singer in 2025.
Personal Life
Prue Leith was married to Rayne Kruger from 1974 until he passed away in 2002. They had two children: a son named Danny Kruger and a daughter named Li-Da Kruger. Li-Da is a filmmaker, and Danny is a politician who is a MP.
In 2016, Prue married John Playfair, who used to design clothes. They built a house together in Moreton-in-Marsh, where they now live.
Awards and Recognition
Prue Leith has received many awards for her work.
She was named the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year in 1990. She has also received many honorary degrees from universities in the UK.
She has been honored by the British Queen multiple times:
- She became 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.
- She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2021. This high honor was given for her services to food, broadcasting, and charity.
