Angela Gray
Food writer, food consultant and former chef to the rich and famous including Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Angela Gray is one of the leading lights on the food scene in Wales. Having spent some eight years globe trotting with her chef’s kit back in the 80’s, she returned home to Wales and settled in Cardiff. There she pursued a slightly different career in the media world. A degree in Food and Consumer Science together with her extensive knowledge of food formed the basis of what has become an amazing culinary adventure.
Angela’s passion for food led to her presenting two cookery series for BBC Wales namely, “Hot Stuff” and “More Hot Stuff”, which took the viewing audience on a whistle stop cooks’ tour of Wales. A book followed named after the series, containing all the recipes and anecdotes from the programmes. Then came a third mini series ‘Overnight Success’, where Angela presented the pros and cons of the hospitality business, offering sound advice and tips for setting up and running your own guest house. She has been a live guest on UKTV Food and took part in the series ‘Flavours of Britain’ with Paul Roseby.
For two years she presented a radio series on BBC Wales entitled “My Life on a Plate”, grilling guests like Kim Howells MP, Lowri Turner, Antonio Carluccio, Monty Don, Stephen Bull and John Humphries about what their life and what their favourite menu would consist of. Angela is a regular visitor to the BBC guesting on the Jamie Owen show where she cooks up a feast of delicious dishes using local ingredients.
Angela penned a second book ‘The Welsh Cheese Book’ (Gomer Press) which is a celebration of the wonderful cheeses now available from Wales. She has written many food related articles for newspapers and magazines, and had weekly column at ‘Wales On Sunday’ for two years.
Angela also loves cooking in front of a live audience, and is a regular at many festivals and shows including The BBC Good Food Show and The Royal Welsh Show.
She is currently writing a third book and running her business ‘Food In Focus Ltd’. The company employs the expertise of individuals offering a range of specialised services to the food and hospitality industries. These include; food photography and styling (check out her portfolio at www.foodinfocus.com/gallery), cookery presentations, restaurant consultancy, and organising food events nationally and internationally for the Welsh Assembly Government.
Angela also is course director at Wales’ firs food and wine school set in the picturesque setting of Llanerch Vineyard. The school offers a mix of cooking for pleasure courses which includes an ‘Absolute Beginners’ series, masterclasses in seafood, European cooking and specialist classes in bread and patisserie. Educational classes for young people are high on the agenda at the school, teaching people and children to cook is a great passion, Angela describes the experience as witnessing an ‘awakening’ in many people. She sometimes works one to one so that pupils get a real work out in the kitchen!
More info on Angela Gray
Angela talking about her career – from the BBC’s website
Food in Focus – Angela’s companies website
