If you know Prue Leith mainly as the colourful judge from The Great British Bake Off, there is much more to her career than television. She has spent decades working as a restaurateur, caterer, cookery writer, teacher, broadcaster and novelist.
Born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1940, Leith moved to England in the early 1960s and built a career that would make her one of the most recognisable figures in British food. Her work has ranged from running a Michelin-starred restaurant to establishing a respected cookery school and campaigning on food education.
Her television career later introduced her to a much wider audience. She became a judge on The Great British Menu before joining The Great British Bake Off in 2017. In January 2026, she announced that she was stepping down from Bake Off after nine series and more than 400 challenges.
Who Is Prue Leith?
Dame Prue Leith is a South African-born British restaurateur, chef, food writer, broadcaster and novelist. Her professional career began in food and catering long before she became a familiar face on television.
After studying in Paris and at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London, she entered the food business in the 1960s. Her catering company, Leith’s Good Food, grew into a substantial food enterprise. In 1969, she opened Leith’s restaurant in Notting Hill, London, which became Michelin-starred.
Leith later founded Leiths School of Food and Wine in 1975. The school became an important part of her professional legacy, training both professional chefs and amateur cooks.
Prue Leith’s Early Life and Education
Prue Leith was born on 18 February 1940 in Cape Town, South Africa. She later moved to England in 1960, where she continued her culinary education. Pan Macmillan records that she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris before moving to England to study at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School.
Her move to Britain proved to be a turning point. Rather than following a conventional career path, Leith began building businesses around food, catering and hospitality.
That combination of culinary knowledge and business experience became a defining feature of her career.
Building a Food and Restaurant Career
One of the most significant stages in Prue Leith’s career came through catering.
In 1960, she started a business supplying lunches, parties and events. The operation developed into Leith’s Good Food and established her as a serious figure in London’s food industry.
The next major step was Leith’s restaurant, which opened in Notting Hill in 1969. The restaurant gained a Michelin star and operated for many years, giving Leith hands-on experience of professional kitchens, restaurant management and hospitality.
Her career therefore wasn’t built solely on television appearances. Long before audiences knew her as a judge, she had already spent decades working in food businesses and education.
Leiths School of Food and Wine
In 1975, Prue Leith founded Leiths School of Food and Wine.
The school reflected another side of her career: education. Rather than simply running restaurants, she wanted to help people develop practical culinary skills.
Queen Margaret University notes that Leith’s food business and school grew into a substantial enterprise, with the group eventually employing hundreds of people.
Her name also became associated with culinary education in South Africa. The Prue Leith Culinary Institute explains that Leith contributed to the development of its curriculum based on her experience running Leith’s School of Food and Wine.
Prue Leith on Television
Television introduced Prue Leith to audiences far beyond the restaurant and cookery-school world.
Before Bake Off, she was particularly known for The Great British Menu, where she spent 11 years as a judge. She also appeared in other food and lifestyle programmes.
Her television style combined culinary knowledge with direct comments and a sense of humour. That made her particularly recognisable to viewers who discovered her through food programmes.
Prue Leith and The Great British Bake Off
Prue Leith joined The Great British Bake Off in 2017 when the programme moved from the BBC to Channel 4. She joined Paul Hollywood as a judge, replacing Mary Berry in the judging line-up.
She remained on the programme for nine series.
On 21 January 2026, The Great British Bake Off officially announced that Leith would leave the programme. The show’s announcement said she had judged more than 400 challenges during her time in the tent.
Leith explained that she wanted to step back and spend more time on other interests, including her garden. She also said she had enjoyed her nine years on the programme.
Her departure marks the end of an important period of her television career, although it does not mean she has disappeared from food television.
What Is Prue Leith Doing Now?
Prue Leith continues to work across food, television and writing.
Her official website currently features Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen, including its third season. The programme brings Leith together with guests and combines cooking, conversation and her interests outside traditional restaurant kitchens.
Her website also continues to feature recipes, books, gardening-related material and other projects, showing that her work extends beyond Bake Off.
Prue Leith as an Author
Writing has been another major part of Leith’s career.
She has published cookbooks, memoirs and novels. Her publishing catalogue includes Leith’s Cookery Bible, Bliss on Toast and I’ll Try Anything Once. Her official website also lists The Vegetarian Kitchen and several works of fiction.
Her memoir I’ll Try Anything Once: My Life on a Plate offers an account of her journey from South Africa to a long career in British food, business and television. The book was originally published as Relish before being revised and updated.
Her Fiction
Leith has also developed a substantial career as a novelist.
Her fiction includes the trilogy beginning with The House at Chorlton, followed by The Prodigal Daughter and The Lost Son. Her publisher lists these alongside other novels such as Sisters, The Gardener and A Serving of Scandal.
This is one reason her career is broader than her television profile suggests. She has worked in food, business, education, journalism, broadcasting and fiction.
Prue Leith’s Latest Book
In 2026, Leith published Being Old… and learning to love it!.
The book explores ageing, retirement, relationships, family, friendship, travel, gardening and other experiences associated with getting older. The Gibraltar Literary Festival describes it as part memoir and part reflection on life in her eighties.
The subject also fits naturally with the stage of life Leith is currently discussing publicly, particularly after her decision to leave Bake Off at the age of 86.
Prue Leith’s Approach to Food
Leith’s professional background gives her a perspective that combines cooking with hospitality and business.
Her recipes and cookbooks often focus on food that can be prepared at home rather than requiring restaurant-level equipment. Her official website currently features recipes ranging from coffee and walnut cake to chicken pies, oxtail stew and other dishes.
Her culinary career also demonstrates why technical cooking knowledge is only one part of professional food work. Restaurant management, teaching, writing and understanding the experience of diners have all played roles in her career.
Awards and Public Recognition
Prue Leith has received formal recognition for her contribution to food, broadcasting and public life.
She was appointed OBE in 1989 and CBE in 2010. She later received a damehood in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to food, broadcasting and charity.
She also served as Chancellor of Queen Margaret University from 2017 until 2024.
These roles reflect the breadth of her work beyond cooking itself.
Why Prue Leith Remains a Recognisable Food Personality
Prue Leith’s appeal comes partly from the unusual range of her career.
She has worked behind the scenes in catering and restaurants, taught culinary skills, written books, appeared on television and participated in public discussions about food and education.
That history also provides context for her role as a television judge. Her opinions on cooking and baking come from decades of professional experience rather than from television alone.
Common Questions About Prue Leith
How old is Prue Leith?
Prue Leith was born on 18 February 1940. She turned 86 in February 2026.
Is Prue Leith still on The Great British Bake Off?
No. Prue Leith announced her departure from The Great British Bake Off in January 2026 after nine series and more than 400 challenges.
When did Prue Leith join Bake Off?
Prue Leith joined The Great British Bake Off in 2017, when the programme moved from the BBC to Channel 4.
What is Prue Leith famous for?
Prue Leith is known for her career as a restaurateur, chef, food writer, author, broadcaster and television judge. She is particularly recognised for The Great British Menu and The Great British Bake Off.
Did Prue Leith own a restaurant?
Yes. She opened Leith’s restaurant in Notting Hill in 1969, and the restaurant became Michelin-starred.
What cooking school did Prue Leith found?
She founded Leiths School of Food and Wine in 1975. The school trained professional chefs as well as amateur cooks.
Has Prue Leith written books?
Yes. She has written cookbooks, memoirs and novels. Her published works include I’ll Try Anything Once, Leith’s Cookery Bible, Bliss on Toast and the Angelotti fiction trilogy.
What is Prue Leith doing after Bake Off?
She continues to work on food, writing and television projects. Her official website currently features Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen, including its third season, alongside recipes and books.
Final Thoughts
Prue Leith’s career stretches well beyond her years in the Great British Bake Off tent. From building a catering business and opening a Michelin-starred restaurant to founding a cookery school, writing books and becoming a familiar television personality, she has spent decades working across the food industry.
Her 2026 departure from Bake Off closes one chapter, but her wider career continues through television, books, recipes and other creative projects. For anyone searching for prue leith, her story is ultimately the story of a long and varied career built around food, education, business and writing.
