Philip Harben – pioneering TV chef

If you love to cook it’s almost certain you will have at least one favourite TV chef but it’s unlikely to be Philip Harben.

My sister-in-law swears by Delia Smith, claiming that she has never yet been let down by a single recipe from the sainted Delia.

Pork Belly prefers Nigel Slater, James Martin and Glen and Friends on YouTube.

But we are both old enough to remember with affection The Galloping Gourmet, Fanny Cradock, Marguerite Patten and yes, Philip Harben.

Time has not been kind to Philip, and yet in the UK cookery scene of the fifties and sixties he was a force to be reckoned with. Gaining celebrity status through radio and TV shows he eclipsed all his contemporaries.

Philip Harben 1906 – 1970

Philip Harben from his 1955 book Cookery Encyclopaedia
Philip Harben making sausage rolls from his 1955 book Cookery Encyclopaedia

Born in Fulham, London Philip came from a theatrical family and and worked for a while as a stage manager then a commercial photographer before switching to cooking.

From 1937 to 1940 he became chef manager of The Isobar, a restaurant in the Isokon building in Hampstead, London. He he served meals to the young professionals living in the flats who had neither the time nor the inclination to cook for themselves.

Harben left to join the RAF in 1940 but an eye injury put an end to his flying career and he joined the RAF catering service instead.

In 1942 he began broadcasting cookery shows on the radio. When he was demobbed he went to the BBC and simply asked to become a cookery broadcaster.

TV’s first chef

June 1946 saw him presenting the first ever televised cookery show, preparing lobster vol-au-vents in ten minutes flat.

Philip Harben cartoon from his 1955 book Cookery Encyclopaedia

The show, Cookery, ran until 1951, followed by Cookery Lesson, which he co-presented with Marguerite Patten, and finally What’s Cooking, first aired in 1956.

Altogether he remained on British TV screens for about 20 years.

The invention of scampi

Philip Harben is sometimes credited with the popularity of scampi.

In a show in 1953 he cooked with frozen “Nephrops Tails” which at that time were regarded by fishermen as part of the catch they just threw away.

The idea of cooking frozen food was pretty revolutionary when many British homes didn’t even have a fridge, let alone a freezer. But the previously unheard of “scampi” soon became a firm favourite on restaurant menus.

Harben’s trademark striped apron

With his larger-than-life stature, dark beard and trademark black and white striped apron he clearly knew how to make an impression. His insistence, sometimes quite dogmatically, on first principles of cooking made for great sound-bites.

His books are full of his strong views on all things culinary.

Tea making – “The pot to the kettle, not the kettle to the pot”

Oyster-shucking – “an operation requiring no little skill and physical strength”

Cheese – “a food of the very greatest nutritional significance.”

Even when he’s simply listing foods and cooking techniques his books are filled with chemistry, history and anecdotes.

Philip Harben demonstrating kitchen saucepans
Philip Harben demonstrating kitchen saucepans from his book Cookery Encyclopaedia

Harben’s views on nutrition and healthy eating

Harben was a pioneer of good nutrition and was one of the first to promote the benefits of cooking in small amounts of liquid to preserve the goodness of the ingredients.

Many of his TV shows faced the same struggles that ordinary housewives did, that of feeding a family on the rations that existed in Britain long after the war had ended.

On several occasions he would have to use personal rations for his demonstrations.

With a string of TV appearances, books, recipes for the Woman’s Own magazine and even a range of children’s cookery equipment to his name, Harben became a proper celebrity.

Radio and TV shows, films and books

He appeared as himself in TV shows and films, was a guest on Desert Island Discs and made personal appearances up and down the country.

There’s a mention in Terence Rattigan’s play Separate Tables, when two elderly women decide they must leave as they are going off to watch “dear Philip Harben”.

So recognisable was he in his day that in my family photo album there’s a picture of my eldest brother, aged about 3, ready for a fancy dress parade as Philip Harben, complete with hat, apron and false beard.

Philip Harben making steak and kidney pudding

Harben’s not been completely forgotten. Every year the Pink Lady Food Photography Awards has a category named in his honour but he’s not exactly a household name any more.

You can see him in action on YouTube, endorsing products at the Welsh Food Show in 1960, showing that he certainly had an eye for publicity.

And Philip was the founder of Harbenware Limited a company making non-stick aluminium frying pans. They are still around today with a range of over 700 products .

After 28 years in the public eye and with a total of 21 books to his name Harben died on 27 April 1970 and is buried in Highgate cemetery, London.

Pork Belly is a collector of old recipe books and his original copy of Philip Harben’s Cookery Encyclopaedia is one he regularly reaches for.

So here’s to Philip Harben – and all those who followed after.

Today’s recipe is brought to you by the letter L.

Langues de chat biscuits Philip Harben
© rosemaryandporkbelly
Philip Harben headstone copyright Jack1956
© Jack1956

Where to next?
Holiday and Travel Competitions
Chilli, Hove
Blue Waters Resort, Antigua

4 Comments
  1. I still have, and regularly use, Philip Harben’s Encyclopaedia. When I was a little girl, my Granny took me round to Philip Harben’s house to meet him. I’m proud to be able to say that I’ve eaten biscuits cooked for me personally by a great TV chef in his own kitchen! I just wish I could remember exactly where that was, and how the hell my Granny knew him well enough to ‘just pop round’.

    1. Hi Amanda, Lovely to hear that you still reach for a Philip Harben recipe, he’s so often overlooked these days. I’m not just jealous that you met him, I’m green with envy 🙂 Thanks for sharing your amazing memory, how many more celebrities did Granny rub shoulders with?!

  2. I learned all my ‘conservative cooking’ from Phillip Harben’s TV lessons. Still have stainless steel saucepans promoted by him.

    1. So it’s not just Harben’s recipes that have stood the test of time. Delighted to hear your memories as he’s overlooked by many. Let’s hear it for Harben!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Copyright © Rosemary and Pork Belly 2013-2024. All rights reserved. You may not reproduce text excerpts or images without prior permission. All trademarks, registered trademarks, servicemarks, and copyrights are the property of their respective holders.
Get in touch with Rosemary and Pork Belly

Some articles contain affiliate links and adverts which means if you click on them and go on to make a purchase we may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. For more info see our Privacy Policy.