These are a few of Dame Prue Leith's favourite things

The South African-born cook talks to Hetty Lintell.

Hetty Lintell's avatar
By
published
in Features
Prue Leith in an orange and pink ruffle outfit
Prue Leith poses backstage ahead of the Vin + Omi show during London Fashion Week February 2026.
(Image credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

The South African-born cook moved to England in 1960 to study at the Cordon Bleu Cookery School, going on to found the renowned Leith’s School of Food and Wine.

Over nearly 60 years, Prue has risen to the top of the British food scene. She was a judge on BBC Two's Great British Menu from 2005 to 2016, and Channel 4's The Great British Bake Off from 207 to 2025. Aside from writing 12 cookery books, including Leith's Cookery Bible, she has written eight novel. Her memoir, Relish, was published in 2013.

Butler & Wilson jewellery

Articulated elephant brooch

(Image credit: Butler & Wilson)

For 40 years, I’ve occasionally bought Butler & Wilson pieces. I love their over-the-top glamour, their glitz, their colour.

I have a diamante elephant brooch about 4in across whose trunk moves if I giggle, but my current favourite is a pair of earrings bought for me by my husband — who likes vulgar colour as much as I do.

Cavalier King Charles dogs

Cavalier King Charles dog sitting on a tree strump

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I’m not sure our Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Tattie, is a luxury, and she’s not really mine as I gave her to my husband for our wedding present, but I’m pretty obsessed with her.

If ‘a luxury’ means expensive, then she’s certainly that! Up to now, my dogs have been rescue ones, ours for a donation to the charity, but John had once had a Cavalier he swore was the perfect dog: it would walk to heel across Piccadilly without a lead, it went everywhere with him and sat under his seat.

Well, all I can say is Tattie is spoilt rotten, badly behaved and has never heard the word ‘no’. When I protest, John says: ‘She’s a princess. Princess Tatiana.’ I remind him she’s called Tattie to go with Neeps and Haggis, his other dogs.

A Thermomix

My Thermomix is a monster German machine that heats as it blitzes. I’ve had mine for 30 years and it cost an arm and a leg at the time, but it’s earned its keep many times over.

It makes soup, marmalade and breadcrumbs, grates cheese, chops nuts and even grinds bones for the dogs. It makes brilliant hollandaise and I suspect does 100 other tasks I’ve never asked of it.

The makers keep offering me a new one, and my brother loves his, but I adore my old workhorse and if it ain’t broke, why sling it?

This feature originally appeared in the October 31, 2028, issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.

Hetty Lintell
Hetty Lintell

Hetty Lintell masterminded the launch of the magazine’s Luxury pages back in 2012 and has overseen them ever since. She also edits Gentleman's Life, Country Life’s annual men’s lifestyle supplement, and styles and art-directs all of the magazine's fashion and still-life shoots. Her real forté, however, is compiling top-notch goodie bags for any party the magazine hosts. The best-dressed member of the team, Hetty can normally be found darting between Bond Street and a photographic studio in East London.