Clarissa Dickson-Wright

Clarissa Dickson-Wright (born Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson-Wright in London on June 28 1947) is a British celebrity chef best known from her appearances with the late Jennifer Paterson in the BBC series Two Fat Ladies.

Related Topics:
London - June 28 - 1947 - British - Celebrity chef - Jennifer Paterson - BBC - Two Fat Ladies

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She was born in St John's Wood, London, the only child of a Protestant father who was surgeon to the Royal Family after World War II, and her mother was a Roman Catholic Australian heiress. Clarissa was trained as a barrister but lost both career and fortune because of a drinking problem. She turned to cooking--the one thing she was able to do while drunk--out of necessity. Now sober, she owns a successful cookbook shop in Edinburgh. (as per )

Related Topics:
St John's Wood - London

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After training as a barrister she was called to the bar and practiced for some years before moving into cooking as her true vocation. In this regard she started her own luncheon club in London, her own catering business, "Clarissa's Company", and a bookstore in Notting Hill "Books for Cooks" which was followed by another in Edinburgh, Scotland named "The Cook's Bookshop".

Related Topics:
Notting Hill - Edinburgh - Scotland

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She has been described by author Henrietta Green as "the world's leading authority on cookery books."

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Initially taking part in BBC Radio 4's Curious Cooks she moved to television in a series which was allegedly a response to, and parody of, those made by another celebrity chef, Delia Smith. Two Fat Ladies reached a worldwide audience and showed the pair of them driving around the UK in a motorcycle and sidecar combination preparing large meals which often included unusually eccentric ingredients. It ran for three seasons until the untimely death of Patterson during filming of the fourth.

Related Topics:
BBC Radio 4 - Series - Delia Smith - Motorcycle - Sidecar

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When interviewed for Desert Island Discs she admitted to a pathological hatred of carrots because her father used to feed them to her still with slugs on, although she also stated she would now happily eat the slug instead.

Related Topics:
Desert Island Discs - Carrot - Slug

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Outside her food interests she is a campaigner for the Countryside Alliance and a former rector of Aberdeen University.

Related Topics:
Countryside Alliance - Rector - Aberdeen University

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