Philip Harben

Introduced by the bearded, round-faced and exuberant Philip Harben, Cookery Lesson – which aired on Tuesdays at 3.00 pm – introduced viewers to the basic principles of cooking. Considering the UK was still under ration-book rule at the time, it is surprising that Harben’s lessons were so successful. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that he was such a hit at a time when the kitchen was still seen as very much the domain of women.