Jane Grigson Trust Sous Chef Award

"At Sous Chef, we believe cooking is about connection. Recipes and ingredients bring people together. We want to champion brilliant new food writing and share it as widely as possible - with fellow readers and inquisitive cooks. The award celebrates those who bring something fresh and authentic to the table - through words and flavours.”

Nicola, Sous Chef Founder

Jane Grigson (1928–1990) was one of Britain’s most inspiring food writers. Her books — from English Food to Jane Grigson’s Vegetable Book — are still classics today, filled with recipes that combine deep knowledge with charm and wit.

She believed food was never just food: it was memory, imagination, history, and story. Whether writing about humble parsnips or medieval feasts, she connected the everyday kitchen to a much wider world.

As The Observer’s food columnist for over 20 years, Jane helped shape how Britain cooks and eats. Her work championed seasonality, provenance, and animal welfare long before they became common themes. And above all, she reminded us that cooking can be both joyful and thoughtful — a way of bringing people together.