Jamie or Delia - who's your fav?

**Cherrypie** · 06-03-2010, 05:33am

Delia has apparently been signed up as face of Waitrose - link. DM has done a taste test on some recipes - and it's pretty even between the two.

Just wondered who your fav is out of the two, and why.

I guess my loyalty is a bit torn. My mum bought me the Delia Cookery Course when I left home and it stood me in really good stead for every day cooking. I later got her summer, winter and Christmas books in the first few years of marriage.

These days I have to say I much prefer Jamie's recipes. I find them much less faffy that Delia's, and really flavoursome.

In terms of personality, I much prefer Jamie as I find Delia a tad smug and po faced.

So, who is it for you?

**Angel** · 06-03-2010, 08:01am

Jamie for me too. Although it's split loyalties as Delia is the major shareholder of my football team

I will turn to her for the basics though.

**redhed** · 06-03-2010, 08:29am

Delia, tbh. If forced to choose.

She's not my "style" of chef at all - very formulaic; I'd rather cook by feel based on understanding the result I was trying to get. But she's incredibly hard working and professional, which you have to respect. Her recipes are tested again and again and they deliver reliably, and she covers most things. Her web site is an absolute gold mine if you want to know how to cook x (whatever it may be) and have it come out right. Jamie's (I find) rely on the same old ingredients (dairy and tomatoes - not good if most of your household can't/won't eat one or the other) and some work brilliantly while others are very disappointing or turn out to be a lot of effort. I wouldn't try a Jamie recipe until I'd seen it reviewed on

or elsewhere.

**Dr Spouse** · 06-03-2010, 09:12am

Delia, I use her for trad classics my mum didn't/wouldn't cook especially anything tricky.

I have to say I have never knowingly tried a Jamie recipe! When he was first big I was a single girl about town and saw him more as for mums at the school gate and if I want to "throw something together" I can do that myself - it's the complicated stuff (which, for me, means pastry, souffles, Christmas cake) that I need Delia for.

**Squirt** · 06-03-2010, 09:15am

Delia every single recipe of hers I have cooked works

I have yet to have a Delia failure .

**sparkliness** · 06-03-2010, 09:41am

I can't bear Delia. I was given one of her books and the tone made me feel really cross

Jamie was the one who inspired me to use recipes, I think basically because he doesn't present things in such a way that you actually have to stick to the recipe, it's very easy to personalise, but his ideas are really sound IMO.

Before I was given one of his books I just made things up really, which is no bad thing obviously, but I actually have quite a collection of recipe books now, and I do use most of them - Jamie and Nigella are my faves, although I find it difficult to watch Nigella.

**cheeky_biscuit** · 06-03-2010, 09:43am

IN TERMS of personality I can't stand either of them, but I THINK I prefer Delia and that;s marginal. Jamie irritates me far too much.
In terms of recipes, I do love Delia's recipes. So I have voted Delia. I don't want to, but her winter cook book is fab and delia online is brilliant.

**Carrington** · 06-03-2010, 10:13am

I prefer watching Jamie but Delia's recipes are more reliable, in my experience.

**Samba** · 06-03-2010, 01:12pm

Originally Posted by Cherrypie

I guess my loyalty is a bit torn. My mum bought me the Delia Cookery Course when I left home and it stood me in really good stead for every day cooking. I later got her summer, winter and Christmas books in the first few years of marriage.

These days I have to say I much prefer Jamie's recipes. I find them much less faffy that Delia's, and really flavoursome.

what you said!

personality wise - I like them equally too!