Xanthe Clay

Xanthe came to food writing, probably the best job in the world, through an circuitous route. Bunking off university, Xanthe backpacked through the Sudan, Egypt and Sinai, across China and around South America, before settling down in London to work as a cookery book seller. In her mid twenties she trained as a chef at Leith’s and worked as a chef and caterer in the West Country before starting the Readers’ Recipe column for the Telegraph. Since then Xanthe has worked on both food and cookery features for Weekend Telegraph, as well as contributing to Good Food magazine, olive magazine, delicious magazine and Sainsburys magazine. Xanthe has also written five cookery books, the latest of which is The Contented Cook (Kyle Cathie, £20 ). Xanthe is also the President of the Guild of Food Writers and Academy Chair (UK and Ireland) for World’s 50 Best Restaurants