JILL DUPLEIX, COOKERY WRITER EXTRAORDINAIRE

I have not met Jill Dupleix but that does not stop her from being one of my favourite Australians. And I have a number of her cookbooks including the 1994 title New Food which when I bough it way back then changed my attitiude to food and cooking.

This is how she describes herself on her website:

I was the cookery editor of the Sydney Morning Herald for six years before moving to London in 2000 to become the cookery editor of The Times (The Times Cook) for the next six years. In 2002, the British Guild of Food Writers presented me with the British Cookery Journalist of The Year Award.

Now I'm a happy little freelance food writer, concentrating on my magazine columns and cookbooks. I have written fourteen cookbooks, including Simple Food (2002), Very Simple Food (2004), Totally Simple Food (2006) and Good Cooking, The New Basics (2005). I did the photography for the 'Simple' books myself, and really enjoyed it, but now I let the professionals do the job so I can concentrate on the food.

My latest book, Lighten Up, (Hardie Grant), is, perhaps, an Australian's response to the heavier, creamier food of the northern hemisphere, although I feel we could all benefit from moving our cooking and eating to a lighter, healthier place. I think of it as 'foodie goes healthy' - how to love your food but not be punished by it.

I live in London with my husband Terry Durack, the only person I know who is more obsessed with good food than I am, and return regularly to Australia for Butter Menthols, cold beer, decent coffee, and to keep mum happy.

Last night while reading the latest issue of Spectator Australia (28 February) I came across a marvellous pice of writing by Jill Dupleix headed "Hollywood audiences must think we never eat" in which she wonders why there are no films celebrating Australia food.
Her final paragraph begins - Don't tell me that our food culture is not strong enough to inspire Australian film makers, novelists and artists.
She is quite correct of course, Australia is one of the great food nations, and Melbourne is its capital.
This is an excellent piece which I warmly recommend.
Link here to read.