“The man in the kitchen”. Boulestin and Harben: Representation, gender, celebrity, and business in the early development of television cooking programmes in Britain

Abstract

This chapter focuses specifically on two television cooking presenters from the early days of broadcasting in Britain, Marcel Boulestin (who featured in television broadcasts before World War II) and Philip Harben (who featured in television broadcasts after World War II), both of whom played a significant role in the establishment and development of television cooking programmes in Britain. By reviewing archival materials and primary sources, this chapter will examine the initial 20 years of broadcast television cooking programmes in Britain, looking in particular at these two male presenters who dominated television cooking programmes before and after the war, respectively.