Jane Grigson (1928 - 1990), cookbook author and journalist, was born in the north-east of England. Grigson studied English at Cambridge, graduating in 1949. Over the next twenty years she worked in art galleries and publishers' offices, and then as a translator. In 1966 she shared the John Florio prize (with Father Kenelm Foster) for her translation of Beccaria's Of Crime and Punishment.

During this time Jane met her husband, the poet & critic Geoffrey Grigson, with whom she had one daughter, the food writer, TV presenter and cookbook author Sophie Grigson.

In 1968, shortly after spending some time in France, Jane Grigson began her long association with the Observer Magazine for whom she wrote right up until her death in 1990.

Jane Grigson won a number of awards for her writing including:

• 1978 Writer of the Year Award
• 1978 Andre Simon Memorial Fund Book Award
• 1982 Writer of the Year Award
• 1982 Andre Simon Memorial Fund Book Award
• 1977 Cookery Writer of the Year in 1977

The International Association of Culinary Professionals has named one of their prestigious awards in honour of Jane Grigson.