Devoted to Norwich City Football Club, of which she is chair and caterer, Smith's husband described her stellar cooking career as "not bad, for someone who can't spell."

Delia sold over 10 million books and was able to spark national buying frenzies by mentioning an ingredient or a kitchen utensil in her programme.

The effect became known as "Doing a Delia" and made an entry into the Collins English Dictionary.

Though she is a household name, Delia has complained there are too many chefs now after celebrity instead of good cooking.

Gary Rhodes accused her of insulting the intelligence of viewers, and Antony Worrall Thompson dubbed her the Volvo of cooking because she was reliable but dull.

Did Delia teach you to cook? Or do you find her style old fashioned? Which chefs will the nation turn to? Who is your favourite cook?

This Talking Point has now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

I think Rhodes and Worrell Thompson should remember that they probably wouldn't have a TV career in cooking if it wasn't for the likes of Delia Smith. There are a billion TV chefs now. She made it onto TV when there were only a few.
Jason Mitchell, Canada (British Student)

I have always been a great fan of Delia. I remember getting her cook books when she first started and they are well worn. I have always loved cooking and always found that her receipes WORK. She has a no nonsence approach and has given sound advice over the years.
Helen Barker, England

It seems to be quite trendy these days to slag off Delia on the grounds of her not being trendy, being patronising, assuming that her readership doesn't have even the faintest grasp of cooking... To my mind that is what makes her so good; her original "Complete Cookery Course" was what taught me the fundamentals of cooking, and I still use it if I want to do a "traditional" dish that I haven't cooked before.
Malk, England

TV chefs appear to be ignorant or disinterested in nutrition. Peter Morgan, UK

Delia might be missed by people without the imagination to create meals for themselves or the inclination to find out what healthy eating is all about. Just because you can cook well does not mean that you eat well. We are a very unhealthy nation and TV chefs do little to help that situation because they appear to be ignorant or disinterested in nutrition. Food has become a product or a temporary piece of DIY home furnishing which we can present to our friends...and we still eat rubbish and obesity becomes a bigger problem year by year!
Peter Morgan, UK

What a lot of miserable people on this page! Of course Delia is important, probably one of the most important 'celebrity cooks' of the last 30 years. Her books are fantastic and know numerous people, including myself, who have had fantastic successes using her recipes. All the miseries here who find her bland or that her recipes didn't work for them are obviously unable to follow simple instructions! Delia rules - no question!
JC, UK

I watched one episode where she served scrambled egg almost uncooked and called it 'perfect'. If I was to serve that to my family they'd accuse me of trying to give them salmonella! She's also very out of touch with real people, unless average Joe can afford a whole side of venison or a whole salmon. She should have bowed out ages ago.
Michelle, UK

They are perfect recipes for Middle England Richard, UK

Delia Smith is a British institution. Her books are great if you don't know your radicchio from your radish; they are perfect recipes for Middle England.
Richard, UK

She may have taught me how to boil an egg, but would she care to explain why, when I follow her recipe to a tee, my sponge cakes always fail to rise?
Rachael, UK

Delia made cookery accessible to me in the early 80s when there were no celebrity cooks. Because my mum is a terrible cook and I went to a boys school that didn't believe that men should be able to cook I had to teach myself; with the aid of Delia's cookery course.
Michael Weldon, England

Oh dear, no! Aren't we overestimating her influence just a bit? I know of only two people who have one of her numerous publications, and these are gathering dust. I'm sure she has helped many, but not the nation!
Chris, UK

She may be dull, but I learned to make mayonnaise, custard, sponge cakes and many more things because of her, so will always be in her debt.
Sam Redfern, UK

I once watched her murder a Thai green curry Arthur, UK

I have tried some of her recipes; they have always turned out bland. Nothing to interest the palette. I once watched her murder a Thai green curry with leftover chicken and so few chillies that it was white, not a green curry. Supermarket stuff.
Arthur, UK

At least I understand what Delia is talking about and she is precise and explains the ingredients and amounts fully - unlike Jamie with "Bung a bit of this" and "Slap a bit of that". Although the likes of Jamie, Carluccio etc. are more exotic, unless you live near a huge supermarket, you haven't a hope of getting any of the ingredients. Also, most of her recipes don't cost you an arm and a leg.
Sally Humphreys, UK

Delia is like many other TV cooks who make everything so precise and official. You must use this type of salt or this brand of cheese. Cooking is about trying new things, that's how so many of the things we love to eat today were invented.
Sarah, UK

Most people would be really excited if she was coming to cook tea Andrew Warner, UK

Delia rocks. Let's face it, most people would be really excited if she was coming to cook tea, but would be bolting the door if Gary 'elocution lessons' Rhodes or Anthony Worral Thompson were coming round. She wants to spend her retirement doing something she enjoys? Good on her. City for the Premiership!
Andrew Warner, UK

My cookery bibles are Larousse and a 1954 edition of the Good Housekeeping Compendium when the latest cookery appliance was a pressure cooker and you wiped down your meat and kept in on a cool shelf in the larder! How will the nation cope without Delia? Extremely well, I would have thought!
Sassy, England

She is EXTREMELY irritating and cosy and vaguely disapproving and bored, and she can't deliver a line to camera without sounding as if she's forgotten what she was going to say. BUT her recipes are easy and they work and aren't as dull as it seems trendy to suggest. The most delicious chocolate brownies for instance, yumtastic mushroom risotto and luscious vanilla terrine. All of which only take about 10 minutes to make, too and easy on the washing up, unlike Mr Rhodes...
CCC, England

She handles fresh ingredients as if they were something disgusting Christian Tiburtius, UK

I have an obsessive love of food and it was immediately obvious to me that Delia Smith doesn't like food at all. She always handles fresh ingredients as if they were something disgusting and has no grace or passion when she cooks. I guess she is OK for making toast but for any real cooking give me a chef!
Christian Tiburtius, UK

She has made cooking more interesting and accessible to a great number of people. Antony Worrall Thompson and Gary Rhodes are rather self-inflated. Lest we forget though ladies and gents, if the chips were down I bet you could still cook to your own standard with no help at all.
Mel, London

I had school cookery lessons over three years and remember practically nothing except how to make little cakes and some basic kitchen safety. I was never taught to boil an egg or make a healthy, balanced meal. Delia's three latest books have the basics I need to make some nice meals and ensure I can do something more interesting than beans on toast.
Steve, UK

As my partner will confirm, NO-ONE has ever managed to teach me how to cook!
Tracey, UK

Delia Shmeelia!!! Martin, UK

This Christmas I made two puds and one cake from a cookbook. My mum, trying to tell me how to do it the Delia way as I was preparing, was summarily ignored due to nagging. The result? Mine were hands down winners... and it felt good! There is a message here...Delia Shmeelia!!!
Martin, UK

Delia reminds me of the domestic science teachers I had at school, quite useful for basics, Victoria sponge cakes, white sauce etc but the rest of her dishes are just insipid versions of originals watered down for the uneducated palate. Give me Gary Rhodes, Nigella Lawson and Antonio Carluccio any day. Don't you find it suspicious that you don't see Delia tucking in to any of her dishes at the end of the show? All these fancy modern day cooks such as Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson etc are not worthy to even kiss Delia's mixing bowl. I have two autographed books of hers. It was she who taught me to cook !
Paul, Wales

However I do think Delia has her place. As a nation we are cooking less and less and somebody has to teach the public how to boil an egg. I just wish I'd thought of it first, then maybe I'd have enough money to buy a football club!
Samantha Bushnell, UK

As a first year student at uni, I hold the title of the microwave queen - microchips, micropizza - why cook if you can press a few buttons and Bob's your uncle? But I have to say Delia is a top chick, and when my ma makes one of her recipes you can't half tell it's Delia!! HURRAH FOR DELIA!!! :)
Rachael, UK

Let's face it, totally suburban Wendy, UK

I am torn. On the one hand, she really was the Volvo of cooking, terribly nice, safe and, let's face it, totally suburban. On the other hand, everything has a marketing gloss on it these days, to make it 'lifestyle' or 'sexy', just look at Jamie Oliver. At least Delia was who she was.
Wendy, UK

Well, my mum bought her recipe books when I was a nipper (she still has at least one, Frugal Food) and this enabled me to have a healthy diet, despite money not being abundant. And now I cook for myself, I prepare many of the same recipes, so, yes, I would say she has taught the nation to cook, if my family is anything to go by.
Ross Allan, UK

When it come to the basic stuff Delia is great but then so were Mrs Beeton and Marguerite Patten. Why rehash an old theme? Buy the classics, get a taste of history into the bargain and look to the modern chefs for inspiring new recipes and ingredients.
Ellen, UK

What? Are we suggesting that my grandmother's homemade scones were no better than this prissy woman's?!
Eileen, UK

She really did teach me how to boil an egg (or rather how long to boil an egg) and crunchy jacket spuds. I have all three of her How To Cook books and my mum and gran still use the Christmas book she did. Still... my husband prefers Nigella Lawson!!
Alex, UK