Annie Gray

Dr Annie Gray is one of Britain's leading food historians. She specialises in British food and dining, c.1650-1950, and works as a consultant, broadcaster and author. She is also a popular speaker. Her first book, The Greedy Queen: Eating With Victoria was nominated for several awards, and she's followed it up with the André Simon longlisted Victory In The Kitchen: The Life of Churchill's Cook. She's also written cookery books and a history of Christmas Food through the Ages which includes her favourite recipe for wine chocolate.

She's the resident food historian on BBC Radio 4's The Kitchen Cabinet, as well as a sometime presenter on documentaries including The Sweetmakers, Victorian Bakers and Victoria and Albert: The Royal Wedding. She's also worked in costume as a historical interpreter, playing various cooks and kitchen maids. For many years she led the team at Audley End House (Essex, UK, run by English Heritage), and now advises on their successful Victorian Way videos.

She thinks Victorian food is vastly underrated, though can also see why they needed decent corsetry, but has to admit that the Georgians did it better, if only because of the parmesan ice cream and all that brandy.