Patten, Marguerite (1915–)

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Patten, Marguerite (1915–)

English home economist and cookery writer. Name variations: (stage name) Marguerite Eve. Born Marguerite Brown, Nov 4, 1915, in England; m. Bob Patten, 1943 (died 1997); children: Judith.

Known throughout Britain for her books and tv cooking shows, began career as a senior food advisor for the Ministry of Food, demonstrating how families could survive during WWII when food was limited (1942–43); was featured on BBC's "Kitchen Front" (1944); led an advice bureau at London's Harrods for the Ministry of Food (1947–51); was a frequent visitor to Radio 4's "Woman's Hour" (1946–2005) and BBC-TV's "Designed for Women" (1947–60); tested and made recipes sent by viewers for BBC's "Cookery Club" (1956–61); sold more than 17 million books and 500 million cookery cards; published over 165 books and cookbooks, including The Victory Cookbook (1995), What's Cooking (1999), Marguerite Patten's Century of British Cooking (1999) and (with Jeannette Ewin) Eat to Beat Arthritis (2001). Named Officer of the Order of the British Empire (1991).