Prue Leith – on late-in-life fame, scandalous love, and why ‘Bake Off’ is ‘a piece of cake’

Summary

Episode Summary: "Prue Leith – on Late-in-Life Fame, Scandalous Love, and Why ‘Bake Off’ is ‘A Piece of Cake’"

Release Date: August 12, 2025

In this heartfelt episode of Dinner’s on Me, host Jesse Tyler Ferguson engages in a candid and enriching conversation with Prue Leith, the esteemed judge of both the Great British Bake Off and its American counterpart, The Great American Baking Show. Recorded at the historic Lescargu restaurant in Soho, London, the episode delves into Prue's illustrious career, her personal life, and her experiences navigating fame in her later years.

---

1. Introduction to Prue Leith and Her Career

Jesse begins by sharing his excitement about having Prue as a guest, highlighting their shared experience on the Great American Baking Show. He reminisces about meeting Prue during his time as a contestant, expressing admiration for her multifaceted career as a chef, television personality, and author.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson [05:02]:
"She’s someone who has reinvented herself more times than I’ve changed dinner reservations."

Prue humbly downplays her television presence, revealing that she watches very little TV outside of her professional engagements.

Prue Leith [02:52]:
"I watch really very little telly anyway."

---

2. Transition to Television and Hosting Bake Off

The conversation shifts to Prue's role in Bake Off, where she succeeded Mary Berry in 2017. Despite initial concerns about filling Mary’s shoes, Prue felt confident in her abilities, emphasizing her background in cooking rather than just baking.

Prue Leith [08:35]:
"I felt perfectly competent. I’m not nothing. I mean, I haven’t made my living out of cakes, but out of cooking. So it’s a little bit different."

Jesse shares his own enjoyable experience as a contestant, highlighting the supportive and joyful atmosphere that distinguishes Bake Off from other competitive shows.

Prue Leith [46:27]:
"They all know how to behave. They just… they support each other."

---

3. Prue's Childhood and Life During Apartheid

Prue opens up about her childhood in South Africa during the apartheid era, providing a poignant account of the systemic segregation and personal relationships that defined her early years. Her mother's activism against apartheid played a significant role in shaping Prue's values and awareness of social injustices.

Prue Leith [22:24]:
"Our whole family was much more liberal than the average white South African family."

A particularly moving story recounts Prue confronting a nun who was abusing students, showcasing her courage and sense of justice even as a young girl.

Prue Leith [25:17]:
"I said, Sister, what we want to say is that we think it’s really bad the way you make girls cry."

---

4. Personal Life and Scandalous Love Story

One of the most compelling segments involves Prue sharing her deeply personal and scandalous love story. She reveals a 13-year secret affair with her mother's best friend's husband, which eventually led to a long-term marriage after her husband's passing. This revelation underscores themes of love, secrecy, and the complexities of personal relationships.

Prue Leith [32:33]:
"I think it's wrong, but I wouldn't undo it. He was the most important man in my life."

Prue discusses the emotional turmoil and the delicate balance she maintained to preserve friendships and family ties despite the affair's secrecy.

---

5. Writing and Culinary Passion

Beyond television, Prue is an accomplished author, having written eight novels, sixteen cookbooks, and an autobiography. She expresses a fervent desire to see one of her novels adapted into a film, particularly "The Gardener."

Prue Leith [42:00]:
"I really, really want one of those novels to be made into a film."

Her passion for cooking remains undiminished, as she continues to host her cooking show, Prue Leith's Cotswold Kitchen, where her down-to-earth approach and willingness to embrace imperfections resonate with viewers.

Prue Leith [09:54]:
"I just like it. My mother used to say to me… everybody just says to me, oh Pru, go and cook. Get in the kitchen. That'll fix it."

---

6. Experiences on The Great American Baking Show

Prue elaborates on her experiences judging the American version of Bake Off, contrasting it with her initial fears about the show's competitiveness. Contrary to her expectations, she found the environment to be supportive and positive, aligning closely with the ethos of the original British series.

Prue Leith [46:27]:
"It's the best way to make… it's the best way to make… with a crew to clean up afterwards."

She commends the contestants for their respect and camaraderie, highlighting the show's ability to foster a nurturing atmosphere.

---

7. Notable Quotes

• Prue Leith [13:06]:
  "Bake off is a piece of cake compared to a great British menu."

• Prue Leith [09:45]:
  "Sometimes I think I should do some more deliberate mistakes because people love it when they learn how to fix it."

• Prue Leith [22:34]:
  "I hadn't... I watched really very little telly anyway."

---

8. Reflections on Love and Loss

Prue shares her profound sense of loss following the passing of her husband, reflecting on the grief as a testament to her deep love for him. She relates this personal experience to a quote by Queen Elizabeth, emphasizing that grief is indeed the price one pays for love.

Prue Leith [38:27]:
"Grief is the price you pay for love. And it's the very exact price."

---

Conclusion

This episode of Dinner’s on Me offers listeners an intimate glimpse into the life of Prue Leith, showcasing her resilience, passion, and unwavering positivity. Through discussions ranging from her challenging childhood to her celebrated career in the culinary world, Prue's stories inspire and engage, making for a memorable and impactful conversation.

---

For those who missed this episode, subscribe to Dinner’s on Me PLUS to access new episodes a week early and enjoy an ad-free experience. Join Jesse Tyler Ferguson on his journey of meaningful conversations over delicious meals.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So I'm currently traveling abroad in London right at the moment, which is why so many of my episodes have people with British accents right now. It's amazing here. I love it. And until I need directions or restaurant recs or anything. And I've got no wi fi and sky high roaming fees, which is just. It's not cute. That's why I started using Saily. Saily is an easy to use ESIM app created by the folks behind NordVPN. It gives you instant mobile data in over 190 countries and you only have to install it once. That means I didn't have to line up at the airport for a SIM card, get scammed outside the train station, or keep hunting for public wi fi signals like it's a rare Pokemon. Seriously, I sat outside of Wagamama the other day trying to get onto their wi fi for probably 20 minutes. I just opened the app, picked a regional plan and boom. I had reliable Internet from Italy to Greece without switching a thing. Plus Saily offers private features and 24. 7 support, which makes me feel a whole lot more secure out here. Get 15% off your Saly plan with the code dinnersonme just download the Saly app or head to saily.com dinnersonme s A-I-L y.com dinnersonme stay connected and don't miss your dinner reservation. As a dad, I spent a lot of time thinking about how to give Beckett and Sullivan the best foundation possible. You know, how to help them grow into curious, confident little humans. And let me tell you, every kid learns differently. That's why I was really impressed when I found out about K12 powered schools. These are accredited, tuition free online public schools for kindergarten through 12th grade. And they're designed to meet kids where they are. Whether your kid thrives on structure, needs a little more flexibility, or learns best outside the traditional classroom, K12 offers an engaging curriculum tailored to their style. And the best part, it works with your family's schedule. Learning can happen wherever there's Internet access. So if you're juggling a million things, totally get that. This can be a game changer for your kids. Join the more than 3 million families who have chosen K12 and empower your student to reach their full potential. Now go to k12.comjtftoday to find a tuition free K12 powered school near you and enroll. Now that's the letter K. The number 12.com JTF K12.com JTF hi, it's Jesse. Today's guest, you know, is one of the judges on the Great British Bake off and its American counterpart, the Great American Baking Show. It's legendary prules.

[Prue Leith]

I watch really very little telly anyway.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And did you know I was on Modern Family?

[Prue Leith]

No.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love that. Do you know any of the people that come on this show? You're like, I don't know, they're famous and embarrassing.

[Prue Leith]

I don't know anybody who comes on the show. It's too embarrassing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is dinner's on me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. So last summer, I was able to come to the UK and be a contestant on the Great American Baking Show. I was so excited. It's coming out very soon on Roku. I felt like I was living a dream. And I got to meet two of my heroes, both Paul Hollywood and the legendary Pru Leith. They are the two judges on both the Great British Bake off and its American counterpart, the Great American Baking Show. I knew after I met Pru, I wanted to sit down and have a meal with her because not only is she legendary in the television world with the Great British Bake off, but she also has this incredible history and this incredible past that I really wanted to dive into. She's a celebrated chef. She's a pioneer in the food industry. She's a novelist, she's a memoirist. Her memoir, relish is absolutely incredible. It reads like a novel in itself. She's someone who has reinvented herself more times than. I've changed dinner reservations. I brought Pru to Lescargu, which is one of London's oldest and most storied French restaurants. I used to walk by this place all the time when I would stay in Soho as a tourist. I've always wanted to come here. They have incredible moules, frites, foie gras, and. And, yes, of course, snails. Since 1927, they've been operating. The dining room is gorgeous. It's seen it all. It has had rock stars, writers, actors, politicians. Coco Chanel used to eat here. Elton John, Dame Judi Dench, Princess Diana. It's elegant. It's not fussy. It's sort of theatrical, which, you know, I love. And it is a perfect setting to talk to someone like Pruleath. I met you initially because I got to be a contestant on the American.

[Prue Leith]

Great American Baking Show.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The Great American Baking Show. I know, it's weird that there's, like, a different title for the Americans.

[Prue Leith]

It has to bake Off.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's Baking Show.

[Prue Leith]

And the reason is. Do you know what the reason is?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Prue Leith]

Pillsbury owned the name of Bake Off.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh.

[Prue Leith]

So they wouldn't let us have it. Or they. I don't know, maybe they wanted pots of money to use it. Oh. But we would love to have called it American Bake Off.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But you can call it the Great British Bake Off. That's what it's.

[Prue Leith]

Yes. They don't own it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They don't own it.

[Prue Leith]

Yeah. They only own it in America.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, interesting. I didn't know that. Okay, so that's why it's called Baking Show.

[Prue Leith]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's not as exciting, but I had the best time. I was so excited to be asked for, you know, this one off celebrity episode for, you know, we played for charity. But when I left, when I finished that three days, I told the producers, I was like, if you ever want to consider me for a full time contestant, I would do it. I had the best time. I didn't want to go.

[Prue Leith]

And people do have a good time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I'm good in the kitchen. I have a cookbook. I wrote it with a friend of mine who's way more skilled in the kitchen than I am, but it's a cookbook about cooking with your friends. So it made sense that I was cooking with this friend of mine who basically taught me how to.

[Prue Leith]

Did he call it Cooking with Friends?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I called it Food Between Friends. You're probably going to get that.

[Prue Leith]

One of my cooking was Cooking with Friends.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, really? I'm glad I copyright and maybe we tried and they're like, oh, it's been taken. But so I'm okay in the kitchen. And I've been asked to do a few shows like that. And I've always said no because I don't want to be duped or I don't want to be made to look foolish if I can't do something. And the moment I was asked to do the Great American Baking Show, I said yes immediately because I was such a fan of the original. The original show. And it's filled with so much positivity and yes, humiliating.

[Prue Leith]

And I don't think anybody feels humiliated.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Prue Leith]

Yes. I mean, that's the whole point of it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's very joyful.

[Prue Leith]

Yeah. Yeah, it is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I had a great time. I had a wonderful time. I've watched the show since the very beginning when Mary Berry was judging with Paul Hollywood and you replaced Mary Berry in 2017. Did you feel that those were big shoes to fill? I mean, do you know?

[Prue Leith]

I didn't simply because I had never watched Bake Off.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Really?

[Prue Leith]

No. I hadn't I watched really very little telly anyway.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you know I was on Modern Family?

[Prue Leith]

No.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love that. Do you know any of the people that come on the show? You're like, I don't know, they're famous in America.

[Prue Leith]

I don't know anybody who comes on the show. It's too embarrassing. I have to have a little crib sheet and mug you all up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Do they give you, like, old cheese? Family is.

[Prue Leith]

No. Never heard of it. I know, but I don't watch very much British television, never mind America. And so. No. And I knew Mary Mary and I'd rung her up to find out what working with Paul would be like. And she said, you have to hold your ground because actually he doesn't need you. He knows so much about baking. He could quite easily judge the show without any help from anyone. But they want to have two presenters.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Interesting. How did you find your, like, your, I guess, placement in that relationship? You know, you obviously bring a lot to the show. Was it difficult coming into it, you know, replacing someone who had, you know.

[Prue Leith]

Well, she'd been famous for cakes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Prue Leith]

I mean, she's a really great baker. Mary. No, I didn't worry too much about that because I felt perfectly competent. I'm not nothing. I mean, I haven't made my living out of cakes, but out of cooking. So it's a little bit different.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

But I think I'm quite relaxed and fairly confident anyway. And I don't actually mind if I make an idiot of myself too much. I think you get more relaxed about that as you get older. You've got a way to go. But, you know, I just think, what does it matter? It's not the end of the world if you cock up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

And I have a program now which is called Pruleath's Cotswold Kitchen. It goes out on Saturday mornings on ITV and it's a sort of chop and chat show. But it's done on such a budget and it's done in my kitchen, in my real kitchen at home. And I start the show by demonstrating some dish and we don't have any time to do what most shows do, which are they have sort of four backup chickens in case, you know, in case you make a cock up. There's so little money for this. So if I make a mess, if I break a turn out a cake and it comes out cracked.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I see you decide to deal with it.

[Prue Leith]

Oh, well, what you do is you get some icing sugar and you cover it up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Other people want to know yeah, that's great.

[Prue Leith]

And so it's hugely popular because it's. And sometimes I think I should do some more deliberate mistakes because people love it when they learn how to fix it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Sure, that's what I want to know. Yeah. I mean, the testing process for a cookbook is so mind numbing because you have to, you know, adjust here and there and write everything down. And it's quite a process. And you can make things seven, eight, nine times before you figure it out. I don't know. This is at least just me.

[Prue Leith]

No, that's true. Do you know you can't afford to make a mistake in a recipe because that's somebody's money going down the drain. Yes. It's an absolute cardinal sin to make a mistake in a cookbook. I once made one quite amusingly when I was writing for the Daily Mail.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, tell me.

[Prue Leith]

And I said thank you. Instead of mince the chicken, I said, mince the children. Well, that was very popular.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's so funny. I love it.

[Prue Leith]

Oh, my goodness. That's serious escargot. Heavens. They're not messing around here, are they?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

With garlic, parsley and butter.

[Prue Leith]

Just parsley and butter. Oh, I need a piece of bread with it, don't I?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's glorious.

[Prue Leith]

I'm gonna have a lump of focaccia. Oh, it's warm, too. Do you know, I think the test, the first test of a restaurant is the bread. And this is four varieties. And they're warm. Just beautiful.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That is nice. Nice springiness, wouldn't you say, Pru? Nice crunch.

[Prue Leith]

Oh, lovely.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Perfect. Mmm. That's great.

[Prue Leith]

This is so good. You see, the trouble with this is there's got to be 3 or 4 ounces of butter on this.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

And it's all melted.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

And I will end up putting all the bread into the butter.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

And absolutely divine. And about as bad for you as it can get.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's a special day.

[Prue Leith]

It is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We're together and that deserves to be celebrated, don't you think?

[Prue Leith]

Oh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you realize that your life would change so much when you joined Beijing show?

[Prue Leith]

No, I didn't. I know. I often think about this because I think. Of course, because I'm getting on. I do think about retirement. And I think what I really miss is all the perks.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

Of so called celebrity. I mean, I think most people still don't know who I am when I walk down the street, which is good because I'm not stopped all the time. But the fact that somebody thinks I'm a celeb is really good because I get wonderful invitations, like, to go to the Chelsea Flower Show.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But I also. I just love that. Do you mind sharing your age?

[Prue Leith]

Yeah, no, I'm 85.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow. To have. And when did you join? You joined the Bake Off, And I'm.

[Prue Leith]

In my ninth year now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my goodness. It's like such a renaissance moment to have in, you know, your 70s to. To have this, you know, all of a sudden, this new popularity and this fame. I just find that so exciting and inspiring and.

[Prue Leith]

Well, I'm so lucky. I mean, I was before I did bake off for 11 years, I judged a show called the Great British Menu, and it was a competition between top chefs, and that was good training for Bake off, because Bake off is a piece of cake. Excuse the pun, but it is a piece of cake compared to a great British menu.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I judged a show in the States called so youo Think youk Can Dance. But I always. There were times when, you know, criticism was necessary, and I always struggled with how to say something kindly without hurting someone's feelings or destroying their dreams. And these were also kids, I might also ask.

[Prue Leith]

Making it very unhappy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Making it very unhappy. Did you remember a time when you really struggled with, you know, crushing someone and also. But also being honest and doing your job well?

[Prue Leith]

You know, I had a cookery school with lots of students in it and a restaurant and a catering company, and people would come and go all the time. And I very quickly learned that if you're nasty to people, they don't stay. So it's in your interest to be kind. It's in my nature to want to teach people or help them rather than put them down. So if I thought that was too salty, I wouldn't say, you've put too much salt in that, naughty boy. I would say, you know what? That tomato is absolutely delicious, and it's really, really good. The feta has quite a lot of salt in it, so if I was you, I'd go easy on the salt. And then they feel they're just getting advice rather than getting a punch in the face.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right? Well, I had a blast doing it. I was, like I said, in heaven. And I would have done a whole series if they wanted me to. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Prue opens up about her special bond with her childhood nanny. She talks about growing up in South Africa during apartheid and the brave stand she took against her Catholic school as a child. Okay, be right back. This episode of Dinners on me is brought to you by Huggies Snug and Dry. The new Huggies Snug and Dry are luxuriously soft and ultra dry. And I can personally vouch for that because when Beckett was around a year, he went through this phase where he refused pants. He just wanted to run around in diapers and nothing else. And I thought, well, if that's the outfit of choice, it better be a good one. So I gave Huggies Snug and Dry a try. And honestly, I was shocked. They were unbelievably soft. Like, wait, is this a diaper or a cashmere throw? Kind of soft. And let's be real. Listen, Beckett has standards. If something's even remotely itchy, it's coming off. But these? He didn't even try and tug at them. Experience the unexpected softness and up to 100% leak protection of Huggies Snug and Dry diapers. So even if your toddler is running a diaper only fashion show through your living room, you know they're comfy and covered. More parents choose the new Huggies Snug n dry softness versus the leading premium diaper Huggies. We got you, baby. You know what doesn't belong in your epic summer plans? Getting burned by your old wireless bill. I'm in New York right now doing Shakespeare in the park, memorizing lines, dodging rainstorms, and trying to stay cool in every sense of the word. The last thing I want to deal with is an overpriced phone plan. That's why I've been looking at Mint Mobile. With Mint, you get the same coverage and speed you're used to, but for way less. And for a limited time, they're offering three months of unlimited premium wireless for just 15 bucks a month. So while your friends are sweating over data, overages and surprise charges, you could be chilling financially and literally. All plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk and text on the nation's largest 5G network. You can keep your phone, your number, and all your contacts this year. Skip breaking a sweat and breaking the bank. Get this new customer offer and your 3 month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a [e-mail] Jesse that's mintmobile.com Jesse upfront payment of $45 required, equivalent to $15 a month limited time. New customer offer for first 3 months only. Speeds may slow above 35gb on unlimited plan. Taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. Okay, let's be honest. Staying hydrated is the only thing keeping me from turning into a raisin. These days, that's why Fiji water is always close by. Fiji water really is from the islands of Fiji, 1600 miles from the nearest continent. It's filtered through ancient volcanic rock, naturally protected from external elements. And it picks up a unique profile of electrolytes and minerals along the way that gives it more than double the electrolytes of the other top premium bottled water brands. And that soft, smooth taste that I absolutely love. Unlike some other top premium bottled water brands, Fiji's water electrolytes are 100% naturally occurring. And Fiji's water has a perfect balance. 7.7 pH. I have no idea what that means, but I like the word perfect score. Okay. And since 2022, Fiji's water's 330 and 500 milliliter BO have been made with 100% recycled plastic. So whether I'm backstage at home with the kids or planning our podcast recording, I know I'm hydrating the earth's finest way. Fiji water. It's earth's finest water. And we're back with more dinners on me. You read a lot, right?

[Prue Leith]

I do, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you have a favorite genre that you like to read?

[Prue Leith]

I like novels, which my husband doesn't read novels at all, which seems to me ridiculous. But I've written eight novels.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know. We're talking about that.

[Prue Leith]

And he says they're the only novels he's ever read because when he was checking me out before, we had our first date, but we'd met, but he thought, well, I better, and somebody told him that I was a novelist, so he ordered. He never does anything by halves, so he ordered all of them from Amazon.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is there eight? I thought there was more than eight.

[Prue Leith]

You've written eight novels? I've written 16 cookbooks. Gotcha. And an autobiography. Anyway, so he got them all, including the autobiography.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, now the memoir and autobiography. Yet that's. There's a lot in there.

[Prue Leith]

Yeah. So he.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You laid a lot out on the table.

[Prue Leith]

I know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

So by the time he met me, he knew me quite well.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Very well. Very well. I mean, researching you was a lot of fun, Pru.

[Prue Leith]

All right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. I also researched you and read a bit of that book, too.

[Prue Leith]

All right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We have things to talk about.

[Prue Leith]

That's what happens if you write an autobiography.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You put it all out there. People have follow up questions.

[Prue Leith]

Well, I did think about it, you know, because a lot of people's biographies are really irritating because you want to know more, and they're obviously clamming up because they don't want to offend Somebody.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, also a lot of people, when they write their own stories, there's a bit of a revisionist history. Like they write what they kind of wanted. Yeah, that's what I find. Or like, you know, they're able to color or sort of.

[Prue Leith]

Well, I think that probably happens to everybody a bit. I mean, I think. I'm sure, you know, for example, about my childhood, I sent the chapters on my childhood to both my brothers, okay. To check, you know, that I'd got.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It right for accuracy.

[Prue Leith]

And of course, they were both in it. And they both came back and said, it's great, but none of it's true. And I said, what do you mean? Every word of it's true. And then I said, well, tell me your version. And then they both told me their. It's completely different from each other's. The fact is no three people remember the same thing. That's why it's so difficult. You know, I once worked for a judge, and he said that if you have two witnesses and their story totally matches, you know, they corroborate each other completely. They're lying.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They're lying.

[Prue Leith]

Cause they planned it, they've plotted it, they put it together. Because nobody does remember the same thing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

There's so much I'd love to touch on with your. Let's. I mean, do you mind if I ask you some questions? Cause a lot of people, you know, I think, you know, are new to your history. You lay out so much of it in the book. So much of it. It's so interesting. And I really do love your honesty. First of all, you're a brilliant writer. I mean, you're a great novel.

[Prue Leith]

Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You're. I mean, you're a fantastic writer. And so you. You tell these stories so beautifully. But you grew up in South Africa during apartheid and you had a, like, middle class.

[Prue Leith]

Very privileged, white South African upbringing. But my mother was an actress and.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

An activist as well.

[Prue Leith]

And an activist, yes. She used to campaign against apartheid. And our whole family was much more liberal than the average white South African family.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Prue Leith]

And so we were brought up with the knowledge that apartheid was wrong. But what I didn't realize was that how much that system of keeping black people away from white people permeates everything so that you don't even notice it. I didn't think twice about sitting in the front of the bus as a little kid while my nanny had to sit at the back of the bus. You know, that's how it was. If I walked with her into a shop to buy something. She would always send me to buy it because I could go straight to the front of the black queue. I mean there'd be a long queue of black women, but even white kids could, interesting, could jump that cue.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow.

[Prue Leith]

And it didn't occur to me to say that's wrong. And you know, it didn't worry me until I got to university and really started thinking properly and I started, you know, I joined an anti apartheid movement and I used to go marching in the street and all the rest of it. But it didn't occur to me until I was thinking about it that my nanny and our gardener and cook, they only got two weeks off a year for holidays. And my nanny only saw her children in that two weeks when she went all the way back to where they lived because of the group areas act. The fact is that we were with our parents all the time. We grew up under the influence of our parents. She had to pass her bringing up of her children over to her mother. She was lucky she had a granny, you know, they had a granny, but she saw them for two weeks a year and she had to travel over a thousand miles to get there.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow. I assume you were close with her.

[Prue Leith]

Oh yeah, I was. She was called Emma. She was absolutely wonderful.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. And you have some great stories about a boarding school as well. I went to Catholic school for 12 years.

[Prue Leith]

As my mother would say, it's really unnatural to lock up 40 year old young women in their 30s and 40s with a lot of adolescent girls and no other contact. But anyway, there was a tradition in my school that the leaving class, the sixth form, before they left, they had a meeting with the headteacher which was supposed to be a feedback session that they could tell the teacher what they thought could be improved in the school. And usually it would be, you know, could we have a bigger swimming pool?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right, yeah.

[Prue Leith]

Can't we have more suites on Saturday? But we had decided, the bunch of us, that the thing that was really wrong with the school was all the, we'd call it abuse today, but what was going on with the nuns? And we'd grown out of that, that age because what they really were after were the sort of pre pubescent girls. And we were now sort of 17 or 16, 17, 18. And I had never been a boarder in that younger time, but I knew about it. And what this nun particularly used to do was she'd, she'd make. It was, it's quite easy to make girls cry and she would make them cry, get angry with Them. And the girls would start to cry, and then she'd comfort them. And the comforting would turn into, you know, stroking them all over. And so we all thought this was really wrong. And so somebody had to say it. So I said it. She was called Sister Irene Benedict, and she was a woman of about 35. I said, Sister, what we want to say is that we think it's really bad the way you make girls cry. And then by comforting them, start to stroke them and put your hands where you shouldn't. And then the angelus, which is a bell that if you went to Catholics, you'll know what an angelus is. But basically, at 6 o', clock, the tradition was that whenever the angelus bell rang, everybody stood up. And whoever was most senior in the room would then recite the Hail Mary. Hail Mary, full of grace. So as soon as the bell rang, I thought, oh, thank God, I can stop telling this. None of this stuff. And so we all stood up. And, of course, we expected her. She was the most senior person in the room. She was the head of the school. And she didn't say a word. And so I looked at her.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She was dumbstruck. Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

And I just saw that her whole face was crimson. I mean, absolutely scarlet. And she just couldn't speak.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you more. Fritz, over here. Yes, thank you. The warm goat cheese, figs and honey.

[Prue Leith]

Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you so much. No problem. It's very heavy. Right. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thanks so much.

[Prue Leith]

It's so strange, eating this dinner at night.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know, I know, I know.

[Prue Leith]

Are we pretending it's dinner?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No. We know it's the middle of the day.

[Prue Leith]

Did you when you were little? Which I certainly did. Growing up in a very Christian school, I was terrified that I'd get the call that God would want me to be a nun.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, God, no. I never worried about that. Wonder what that call would sound like.

[Prue Leith]

I had a very religious phase when I was 11. I'd be down on my knees. My father was completely atheist.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Interesting.

[Prue Leith]

And I'd be on my knees begging God to not send him to hell. I was really praying hard for my father because he didn't believe in him. And of course, I ended up an atheist. And still am.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Pru shares the unexpected love story with her first husband. We also chat about filming the Great American Baking Show Summer Special, which I was a contestant on down on Roku. Very soon, I want to know if my baking passed the Pru test. Okay. Be right back. All right, let's talk about something near and dear to my heart. Building the perfect sandwich. And yes, yes, I take this very seriously. Step one, you need a great bread. Fresh, crusty, something with character. Step two, Boar's Head Oven Gold Turkey. Always. It's juicy, it's flavorful. It's the backbone of this operation. Step three, a few slices of Boar's Head Smoke Master ham because I like to mix it up. It adds a slow, smoked beechwood flavor that makes your taste buds just, you know, do a little dance. Step four, Cheese sharp cheddar if I'm feeling bold. Creamy Swiss if I'm feeling fancy. Step five, a swipe of Dijon crisp lettuce, thin sliced tomato, and maybe a pickle or two, you know, for drama. Layer it all up, cut it in half diagonally, obviously, and you got a sandwich that's perfectly crafted thanks to Boar's Head. Every. Every bite tastes like it was made with care. Because it was. So if you're ready to level up your sandwich game, trust me, start at the deli counter. Discover the craftsmanship behind every bite at your local Boar's Head Deli counter. Boar's Head. Committed to crafts since 1905, I'm spending my summer in New York City doing Shakespeare in the park. And let me tell you, it's an absolute dream. Performing under the stars, surrounded by trees, being upstaged by the occasional raccoon that will cross across the stage. I miss LA a lot, but I am soaking up every moment here in New York City. On my days off, Justin and I have been taking the boys on many city adventures. Central park playgrounds, bagel runs, the. The whole New York experience. Being away from LA for so long, I started thinking about what it would be like to host our place on Airbnb. And the thing that makes it feel totally doable is their new co hosting network. You can team up with local co hosts who help manage everything. Guest messaging, check ins, even styling the space if you need that. So your home can keep working for you while you're off making memories somewhere else, find a co [e-mail] host this summer, I'll be spending a lot of time in New York City working on Shakespeare in the park, which I am so excited about. But it also means I'll be away from home, and Justin will be juggling the kids and the home Ford, which is hectic enough without also having to worry about home security. That's why we use Simplisafe. We've got the full setup. Cameras, sensors, 24, 7 monitoring. So whether I'm backstage in Central park or Justin's doing bedtime back home, we both know the house is protected. Simplisafe's professional monitoring team is amazing. If something suspicious happens, they can talk through the camera, trigger lights, and even alert the police before anything bad happens. No contracts, no hidden fees. Monitoring starts at about a dollar a day and there's a 60 day money back guarantee. Visit simplisafe.com Jesse to claim 50% off your new system with a professional monitoring plan and get your first month free. That's S I M P L dash I S A F e dot com Jesse. There's no safe like Simplisafe. And we're back with more dinners on me. You have the most remarkable love story with your. With your first husband. I had no idea. I mean, this was like, if you Google your name, it's the first thing that comes up. I mean, you've written about it so beautifully, but it is. I mean, it's a page turner in itself.

[Prue Leith]

It's always difficult to talk about because it's not too bad with you because in a way I can tell you enough for you to understand it. But in most contexts, I just refuse to answer this question because the question is, how can you have had an affair with your mother's best friend's husband? Well, the truth was, I'd known him since I was three. And, you know, my family were living in South Africa and they were living in England, so we didn't see them, but we were still very close. My mother and Raine's wife Nan were still best friends. And then when I came to live in England, when I went to the Cordon Bleu cookery school, I lived with them, I stayed with them. He was 20 years younger than Nan, his wife, and I was 20 years younger than him. So there was 40 years between me and Nan, his two wives, as it turns out. And I adored her and she was wonderful to me and she was like a mother to me and she couldn't have been more welcoming. But I fell in love with her husband and he with me. And so for years we kept it absolutely secret. We had a 13 year secret affair. And I never pushed him, I never asked him to marry me, I never asked him to leave Nan. I love Nan. We all. I loved the whole family. But of course, it was living a lie for 13 years. But I knew it would be heartbreaking for her if he left. And I was quite content because I just started my restaurant. And he was the chairman of my company. He'd helped me all along. And so we worked together all the time. So it never seemed odd if, you know, if we were very discreet. We didn't go to the cinema together, we didn't go to. Out to lunch or anything together. But if we had ever been seen together in the street or something, it would have been perfectly natural because we spent a lot of time anyway together. So, I mean, I can't justify it because I think it's wrong. I still think adultery is bad, but I wouldn't undo it. You see, people say to me, if you think it was wrong, would you have done. Would you do things differently? No, I wouldn't. He was the most important man in my life.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, and then you ended up. When he left his wife, when he left Nan, you ended up being married to him for many, many years. 25 years.

[Prue Leith]

We both had 25 years of him.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The love of your life?

[Prue Leith]

Yeah. She was married to him for 25 years, and then I was married to him. Then I was with him for 25 years. I wasn't married to him all that time. And he was particularly amazing because he was determined that we'd all still stay friends. And of course, Nan was really very upset at the beginning. She said to me, we had lunch together after a while and we talked about it and I explained, more or less, I just said, you know, I'm desperately sorry, but I couldn't help it and I wouldn't change it. And she said, well, I understand that, she said, because I remember when I. She said, when I first met Rain and he wanted to marry me, my mother was saying, nan, you can't marry him. He's 20 years younger than you. It'll never work. And she said, if I have five years of him, it will have been worth it. I love him so much, I've got to marry him. So she did. And they had 25 years. And so she was saying to me, I understand this, because I had this conversation in reverse when I was first met him.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Interesting. Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

So she was a remarkable woman.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Again, a lot of empathy there.

[Prue Leith]

She was a remarkable woman.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow.

[Prue Leith]

She died when she was in her 90s. Rain used to see her.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did she remarry?

[Prue Leith]

No, she didn't. I mean, she was already when we met. Let's think when I had the reason that the secrecy stopped, we were secretly together for 13 years. Then I got pregnant and then we had to tell everybody.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

Yeah. Couldn't have. Exactly.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, boy.

[Prue Leith]

There would have been a Secret. Too many.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right, right.

[Prue Leith]

So she lived to 97.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow.

[Prue Leith]

I think 97.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Quite a whole life.

[Prue Leith]

And while when she was ill and dying, Rain used to see her, well, usually once a week. And then as she got more ill, she was there all the time. And it's the only time that I've known him twice in his life when he just had a period for a few days when he didn't talk to anybody and he was just very withdrawn and silent. And that was when his mother died and when his first wife died.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So anyway, it's just, it's, it's cinematic. That's all I can say. It's, it's really a remarkable love story. And I, I, I'm just, I'm just fascinated by it. And I know, you know, you speak also so, so eloquently about how heartbroken you were when, when he passed.

[Prue Leith]

Awful. I did. That was awful. Yeah, I know, but, you know, this, the old Queen, our old Queen, Queen Elizabeth.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I thought you were just throwing a slur at me. This old queen.

[Prue Leith]

I don't mean this old Queen. I don't mean this old queen. I mean now, when the old queen was talking about loss, I think she was talking about Prince Philip's death, she said, grief is the price you pay for love. And it's the very exact price. You know, if you love somebody a lot, the grief is horrific.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. I have lost my mom in November and I miss her deeply. And I always say that the grief is a reminder of how much I loves her. What are your favorite memories with Rainn?

[Prue Leith]

Well, I think the thing that used to. Which I suppose was most poignant is that he was very reclusive. I'm very gregarious and he, when we moved to the country, he wanted to not be able to see anybody. So we found this.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, it's so relaxed.

[Prue Leith]

Absolutely.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Me and Rain are the same person.

[Prue Leith]

He wanted a sort of derelict where there was absolutely nobody in sight. So we bought this enormous place, much too big for us, but it was miles from anyone else. And I would be commuting to London a lot because I was running my businesses, because by then I had the restaurant, the catering company and the school, the cookery school. So I was very busy and so I was mostly on a train or going backwards and forwards. But wherever we were at 7 o' clock in the evening, if we were at home, we'd meet for a drink. In the summer on the terrace, in the winter in the sitting room. And seven o' clock was. We would have Half an hour together before I made supper or whatever. And so when he died, that 7 o' clock was the most terrible time because it was sort of so built into me after 25 years of it's 7 o', clock, I must ring rain. Because wherever I was, I'd ring him if we were not together.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How long have you been remarried?

[Prue Leith]

Well, quite a long time now. 15 years.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow.

[Prue Leith]

We have been. We have not been married 15 years, but we've been together 15 years.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And what's your new.

[Prue Leith]

Took us five years to do your new hut.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'll just call him your new husband.

[Prue Leith]

John.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What's your young lover's name? John?

[Prue Leith]

He's my toy boy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Your toy boy?

[Prue Leith]

He's 6, 76. Okay. But he is. All right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you. Oh, thank you. Oh, I got something sweet.

[Prue Leith]

Enjoy. Lovely.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you. Are you. Do you still enjoy cooking? And do you spend a lot of time in the kitchen still? I know you have your cooking show.

[Prue Leith]

I do. I just love it. I mean, even if I'm just making omelets, I like it. I don't have to do posh stuff. My mother used to say to me, you know, like, mostly you say to people when they're grumpy, oh, go for a walk. Go outside, get some fresh air or something. Or what you need is a sleep. You say to children, you're just tired.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's right. Yeah.

[Prue Leith]

Well, everybody just says to me, oh, Pru, go and cook. Get in the kitchen. That'll fix it. So, yeah, I do cook every day.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm just so astonished by how you have continued to. Your life is so full at 85 and you're doing so much and you're shooting two TV shows and you have such rich history and this big family. And are there things that you are still hoping for that are you looking toward? Are you letting life surprise you?

[Prue Leith]

Well, one of my unfulfilled dreams.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Prue Leith]

I really, really want one of those novels to be made into a film.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. Is there one in particular that you think would make a great film?

[Prue Leith]

I think the Gardener.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Prue Leith]

Basically. Basically, it's about a rather academic girl who has been a landscape architect and she becomes a gardener. And she has two children, she's divorced. And the owner of the garden she goes to work for is, of course, charismatic and delicious and wonderful. But he is really crude and Irish.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Who's your dream casting?

[Prue Leith]

Well, my dream casting for her is probably Phoebe Waller.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Phoebe Waller. Bridge.

[Prue Leith]

We love her. She's wonderful. She'd fit this character very well.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I want that to happen.

[Prue Leith]

Well, I do too, but it's showing no signs of doing so yet.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay, well, maybe this podcast will generate.

[Prue Leith]

Yes, exactly.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'll get it started for you.

[Prue Leith]

MGM will be on the phone tomorrow. Right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Exactly. You never know. Listen. You never know. So you're starting filming again for.

[Prue Leith]

We're filming Bake off now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You're filming Bake off and then Baking Show.

[Prue Leith]

Baking show, yes. We talk about baking show. Yes. We should talk a bit about it, because I think the baking show would like us to.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, no, no. Well, I mean, I talked a little bit about it at the beginning, but I am. But you loved it, so I had the best time. I remind me of all the things you made. I made a lemon curd cupcake.

[Prue Leith]

Oh, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You loved it.

[Prue Leith]

I did love it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You did love it.

[Prue Leith]

I do remember that. In fact, I remember thinking, why isn't lemon curd a regular thing on cupcakes?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, it's delicious.

[Prue Leith]

It's so delicious.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That was the last one.

[Prue Leith]

You often get lemon cupcakes and the cake is lemony, but yours had actual lemon curd.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I wanted that, like, surprise in the middle. And that was an additional. So listen, I practiced. So what a lot of people don't know is when you go onto this show is, you know, two of the things you're gonna make.

[Prue Leith]

And you can practice them as much as you like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You can practice them as much as you like. But the other, the technical challenge, is something that you're gonna be surprised with. So I practiced my bakes. I don't know if all of my contemporaries practice theirs.

[Prue Leith]

When you were in the sort of celeb.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So it was me, Andrew Reynolds, Yara Shahidi, and June Dayanne Rafiel. And Yara was my competition for sure. I don't want any spoilers, but just know that Yara is one to keep an eye out. Yeah, she brought it. But I had so much fun. And it was so magical being in that tent that I've seen on TV so much.

[Prue Leith]

Well, you know, a lot of people say that. They say that. And when the first time they walk into that tent, it's sort of take a deep breath. Cause it's quite awe inspiring. Because it's exactly like you see? It's exactly like it is. It feels bigger.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It feels bigger. It does. And it was just. It was just the best time. And I felt like I was. I honestly felt like I was in a dream. Cause I've watched the show so many times where you sit on the floor and watch your bake and Like I was doing all those things. There was a proofing drawer which I never had to use, but it was just. It was also for someone like me who loves to be in the kitchen. It's such a cook's dream, or baker's dream, because you have everything you could possibly want.

[Prue Leith]

Including somebody else to wash up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Exactly. Someone will also wash up. But you know, if you want sprinkles or, you know, you call them jimmies, I think, but you know, there's a whole drawer of these things, decorations and all these things you can use.

[Prue Leith]

And it's the best way to cook.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It really is. It really is.

[Prue Leith]

It's the best way to make, I should say.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah. With a crew to clean up afterwards.

[Prue Leith]

Yeah. No, it is fun. And I'm quite looking forward to this year because this will be my third year on American Baking show and I love it. You know, when I first was asked if I'd do it and I had been doing the British one for a long time, I thought, oh, I don't know, I've watched American competitions and they're so brutal. And the contestants always sort of bad mouthing each other and sort of sabotaging each other.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

There was some smack talk.

[Prue Leith]

Yes, that's all horrible. And I thought, oh, and everybody's so loud and trying to grab the camera's attention and I just don't think I like it anyhow. It's just not like that at all. I mean, all the bakers, not just you guys, celebs who know what goes on, just everybody. It doesn't matter where they come from, all over that enormous country of yours, they all have watched the British Bake off for years. They're all complete fans.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We know what we're walking into.

[Prue Leith]

They all know what. They know how to behave. They just, they're already in that mood.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, we're there because we love the show and we have reverence for it.

[Prue Leith]

And that means that you're really nice people, frankly. And so they like each other, they support each other, they behave exactly like they do on Great britishbeck. The atmosphere in the Bake off tent is supportive and fun and we have a great time. I mean, I enjoy it, I can tell you do. It's lovely.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Well, I cannot wait to see this. I haven't seen the episode. It's airing in the near future. I don't have an exact date, but on Roku. And you can watch it in the States on Roku. I'm so happy you did this with me.

[Prue Leith]

Well, I'm Sorry. This has been absolutely lovely treat eating lunch in the middle of the day.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's a pleasure to take you out to dinner.

[Prue Leith]

Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Or breakfast or whatever it is.

[Prue Leith]

Whatever it is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Morning escargot. Also, I have a little treat for you. You get to witness a true bucket list moment for me. Check out Pru and I on the great American baking show Celebrity Summer Edition, which I was a contestant on. Streaming on Roku starting August 16th. This episode of Dinner's on Me was recorded at Lescargu in Soho, London. Next week on Dinners on Me. You know him from films like the Sound of Metal and the TV series the Night Of. He's out with a new film called Relay. It's Riz Ahmed. We'll get into growing up as a first generation British, Pakistani, Muslim and South Asian representation in film and TV and how he's changing it and also how he prepares for playing such intense roles. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners On Me. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad free. Just click try free at the top of the Dinners on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinners On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our producer in the UK is Grace Laker. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Baer engineered this episode. Hans Dale. She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tameka Balance Kolasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week. All right, let's talk about something near and dear to my heart. Building the perfect sandwich. And yes, yes, I take this very seriously. Step one, you need a great bread. Fresh, crusty, something with character. Step two, Boar's Head Oven Gold turkey always. It's juicy, it's flavorful. It's the backbone of this operation. Step three, a few slices of Boar's Head Smoke Master Ham because I like to mix it up. It adds a slow smoked beechwood flavor that makes your taste buds just, you know, do a little dance. Step four, cheese sharp cheddar if I'm feeling bold. Creamy Swiss if I'm feeling fancy. Step five, a swipe of Dijon crisp lettuce, thin sliced tomato and maybe a pickle or two, you know, for drama. Layer it all up, cut it in half diagonally, obviously, and you got a sandwich that's perfect. Perfectly crafted. Thanks to Boar's Head. Every bite tastes like it was made with care, because it was. So if you're ready to level up your sandwich game, trust me, start at the deli counter. Discover the craftsmanship behind every bite at your local Boar's Head Deli counter. Boar's Head. Committed to crafts since 1905.