Jennifer Ann Bristow BEM is a Northern Irish cook and cookery writer. She is best known for her cookery television series produced by UTV.
Personal life Bristow was brought up on her family's dairy farm near Coleraine.jennybristow.com: About Me ; accessed 15 June 2008 Before her broadcasting career, Bristow worked as a home economics teacher.Belfast Telegraph: "Jenny gets seasoning just right"; dated 29 September 2002; accessed 15 June 2008Belfast Telegraph: "My taste for the good life"; dated 26 September 2005; accessed 15 June 2008 She has three children.
Television series Bristow made her first television appearance on Ulster Television's Farming Ulster in 1989 demonstrating how to cook with potatoes, which led a producer at the station to offer Bristow her own series.Belfast Telegraph: "Cooking in the kitchen is Jenny's passion": dated 23 October 2001; accessed 19 January 2009
High Days and HolidaysBFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 High Days and Other Days (1992)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 Cookin' in the Kitchen (1995)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 Jenny's Country Cooking (1997–1998, 2 series)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 Cooked in a Flash (1999–2000, 2 series)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 Jenny Bristow Cooks Gloriously Good Food (2001)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 Jenny Bristow Cooks for the Seasons (2002–2003, 2 series)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 Jenny Bristow Light (2003)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 Jenny Bristow: A Taste of Sunshine (2005)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008 Jenny Bristow's USA (2007)BFI Film and TV Database; accessed 15 June 2008
All of the above series were produced by UTV, and were filmed in a converted barn at Bristow's farm near Cullybackey. Bristow's series have been transmitted in other ITV regions (Border, Central, Grampian, Granada and LWT, and on television stations in the United States and Australia.
Ratings for Bristow's series have peaked at 215,000 viewers in Northern Ireland.Sunday Life: "Jenny scores over TV footie"; dated 16 June 2002; accessed 15 June 2008
Writing career Bristow has so far published twelve cookery books. Books accompanying Bristow's most recent series have been published by Belfast-based publisher Blackstaff Press.Blackstaff Press ; accessed 15 June 2008 Recipes from Bristow's books have appeared in the Belfast TelegraphBelfast Telegraph: "Foodies corner"; dated 5 November 2001; accessed 15 June 2008 and Sunday LifeSunday Life: "Sneak peek at Jenny"; dated 29 September 2002; accessed 15 June 2008 newspapers.
Other work As well as her television and writing work, Bristow takes part in cookery demonstrations and corporate and charitable events. Bristow has taken part in corporate events such as the Balmoral ShowThe News Letter: "Balmoral Show gets under way"; dated 14 May 2008, accessed 15 June 2008 and Women on the Move,Belfast Telegraph: "Jenny shares her recipe for success"; dated 24 March 2006; accessed 15 June 2008 as well as fundraising events for UNICEF,Belfast Telegraph: "Jenny's special cookery class" dated 23 March 2000; accessed 15 June 2008 Macmillan Cancer, the British Heart FoundationThe News Letter: "Help to raise funds for BHF Heart Nurses; dated 4 December 2007, accessed 15 June 2008 and Northern Ireland Hospice Care.The News Letter: "Raise 'dough' for hospice coffee morning with Jenny"; dated 17 May 2007; access 15 June 2008 Bristow has also been involved in awareness campaigns encouraging people to consume less saltThe News Letter: "Stay healthy – eat less salt"; dated 20 March 2007, accessed 15 June 2008 and getting children to practice healthy eating.The News Letter: "Science is put on the menu"; dated 31 May 2007, accessed 15 June 2008
In 2007, a Ballymena-based company introduced a biscuit range using recipes created by Bristow.jennybristow.com: Newsletter – Winter 2007 ; accessed 15 June 2008Belfast Telegraph: "Biscuit firm eyes States"; dated 21 January 2008; accessed 15 June 2008
Bristow was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting and the food industry in Northern Ireland.
References
External links Jenny Bristow's website