Fanny Cradock (1909-1994)

Phyllis Nan Sortain Pechey (February 26, 1909 – December 27, 1994), better known as Fanny Cradock, was an English restaurant critic, television celebrity chef and writer frequently appearing on television, at cookery demonstrations and in print with Major Johnnie Cradock who played the part of a slightly bumbling hen-pecked husband.

Fanny and Johnnie Cradock began writing a column under the pen name of "Bon Viveur" which appeared in The Daily Telegraph from 1950 to 1955. This sparked a theatre career, with the pair turning theatres into restaurants. Cradock would cook vast dishes that were served to the audience. They became known for their roast turkey, complete with stuffed head, tail feathers and wings. Complete with French accents, their act was one of a drunken hen-pecked husband and a domineering wife. At this time, they were known as Major and Mrs Cradock.

In 1955 Cradock recorded a pilot for what became a very successful BBC television series on cookery. Each year the BBC published a booklet giving a detailed account of every recipe Fanny demonstrated, allowing her to frequently say in later years, "You'll find that recipe in the booklet, so I won't show you now." Fanny gave every recipe a French name. Her food looked extravagant, but was generally cost-effective.

As time went by, however, her food began to seem outdated, with her love of the piping bag and vegetable dyes. As she grew older, she applied more and more make-up and wore vast chiffon ballgowns on screen.

In 1976, Gwen Troake, a housewife living in Devon, won the Cook of the Realm competition, leading to the BBC selecting her to organise a banquet to be attended by Edward Heath, Earl Mountbatten of Burma and other notables. The BBC filmed the result as part of a series called The Big Time, and asked Fanny Cradock as one of a number of experts who would advise Mrs Troake as to the menu. The result brought the end of Fanny Cradock's television career. As Mrs Troake went through her menu Cradock was seen to be grimacing and acting as if on the verge of retching, and insisted that it was not suitable. Fanny wrote a letter of apology to Mrs Troake, but the BBC terminated her contract two weeks after the broadcast of programme. She would never again present a cookery programme for the BBC.

Find out more at Wikipedia*

20th Century Highlights

• Bon Viveur: Gala Christmas Dinner (BBC tv, 1956)
• Kitchen Party (BBC One, 1963-1965)
• Home Cooking (BBC One, 1965)
• Adventurous Cooking (BBC One, 1966)
• Christmas Cooking (BBC One, 1966)
• Problem Cooking (BBC One, 1967)
• Ten Classic Dishes (BBC One/BBC Two, 1968)
• Colourful Cookery (BBC Two, 1968)
• Giving a Dinner Party (BBC Two, 1969)
• Fanny Cradock Invites...You to...a Cheese and Wine Party/Sunday Brunch/a Teenager's Party/a Simple Saturday Dinner/a Television Meat/a Hot Buffet (BBC Two, 1970)
• Nationwide (BBC One, 1969-1983), contributor (1972)
• Fanny Cradock Cooks for Christmas (BBC One, 1975)

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