Ruth Watson

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Ruth Watson (born in London), is an English hotelier, broadcaster and food writer.

Born in London, Watson was educated in London and at Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire. After taking up a career in graphic design, she became an inspector for the Good Food Guide.[1]

In 1983, Watson and her husband David bought Hintlesham Hall in Hintlesham, Suffolk as a restaurant and cookery school from Robert Carrier,[1] which over six years they turned into a 33 room hotel, with an 18 hole golf course. In 1990 they bought the Fox and Goose Inn at Fressingfield, launching it as one of Britain's first ever gastropubs.[2] In November 1999, Watson and her husband bought the Crown and Castle hotel in Orford near Woodbridge, Suffolk, which they have fully restored and run as a modern country house hotel.[3]

Watson's hotel experience brought her to the eye of various publishers, and was asked in 1994 by friend Delia Smith to be a contributing food editor on Sainsbury's Magazine. Watson subsequently became food editor of the Daily Mail's Weekend magazine, for which she was shortlisted for a Glenfiddich award as newspaper cookery writer in 2001, and won twice as Cookery Writer of the year - in 1997 and 2000.[1] Watson has written three books: the Really Helpful Cookbook published in October 2000 by Ebury Press; the slimming book Fat Girl Slim,[4] while her cook book Something for the Weekend is in its third edition.[2]

In Autumn 2005 Ruth Watson's public profile greatly increased when she became the star of Five's series The Hotel Inspector. In each episode of this observational documentary series Watson would visit a struggling British hotel and try to turn their fortunes by giving advice and suggestions to the owner.[5] Watson's direct style appealed to viewers and The Hotel Inspector has become one of Five's most popular series to date (the show won a Royal Television Society Award in November 2006). Despite this Watson decided not to undertake a fourth series. In November 2007, she signed an exclusive two year deal with Channel 4 to front a series of shows, the first of which will explore the commercial development of Britain's Country Houses and Estates.[2]

Watson and her husband live in a 16th century farmhouse 20 minutes away from the Crown and Castle, which has 120 acre organic farm, producing some produce for the Crown and Castle.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Ruth Watson. hattowendesign.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  2. ^ a b c Dowell, Ben (2007-11-28). Watson checks in to Channel 4. guardian.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  3. ^ Crown and Castle. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  4. ^ Watson, Ruth. Fat Girl Slim. Quadrille Publishing. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  5. ^ The Hotel Inspector. Five.tv. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.

[edit] External links


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