Neil Buttery

I have been writing about British food for over ten years, I began with a blog about Jane Grigson’s book English Food, as a hobby. Bitten by the food history bug, I started a second blog British Food: A History. After inadvertently teaching myself to cook and write on the subject, I began producing food for an artisan food stall, which then developed into a pop-up restaurant, and then into a restaurant, 'The Buttery', where I was director and head chef.
More recently, I have focused on writing and media. My first book 'A Dark History of Sugar' in currently in press with Pen & Sword History, and I have just started my second, a biography of the great Elizabeth Raffald. Interest in the blogs has brought work with The Telegraph and the BBC. Most recently I was the resident food historian on Channel 5’s 'Wonderful World of Cakes'. I also write and present my own podcast ('The British Food History Podcast'), which has just finished [at time of writing] its second season.
I’m interested in almost every aspect of food and cookery: previous careers have included secondary school teacher and evolutionary biologist (specialising in social behaviour), and it’s wonderful to use the skills gained in those professions today.

Professions

Author, Chef, Food historian

Special subjects

History of food
History of sugar
Traditional cookery skills
Sustainable eating

Regular work

Author with Pen & Sword
Neil Cooks Grigson blog
British Food: a History blog and podcast

Advisory boards / Awards

Director Levenshulme Market CIC (founder)
BBC Food & Farming Award: Best market category (finalist)

Languages spoken

English

Commercial interest

Food historian
Blogger and podcaster
Author