Nigella Lawson’s numerous cookbooks and cooking shows have earned her the (often fraught) title of domestic goddess. Lawson graduated from Oxford University with a degree in medieval and modern languages before joining the staff of The Spectator as a book and restaurant reviewer in 1983. In 1986 she became deputy literary editor of The Sunday Times. After a stint as a freelance journalist, she published her first cookbook, How to Eat, in 1998, followed by How to Be a Domestic Goddess in 2000, which won her the British Book Awards’ Author of the Year Award in 2001. In 1999 she launched her first UK cooking show, Nigella Bites, followed by her US show Nigella Feasts in 2006. Critics were divided between praising her recipes and passing judgement on her appearance, leading to discussion in the media about whether Lawson was entitled to be simultaneously a loving mother, a savvy businesswoman, a talented chef, and a sex symbol. Unflustered by the scrutiny, Lawson has continued evolving as a chef. As of 2024 she has published fourteen cookbooks and has hosted, judged, and presented for eighteen cooking shows. Lawson has won eight awards, including the British Book Award of Author of the Year in 2000 and the Fortnum & Mason TV Personality of the Year in 2016.