Mollie Kelly Begins Turkey Cooking Demonstrations

In 1978, Mollie Kelly began demonstrating her approach to cooking turkey to members of the press at our family home in Danbury, Essex. Having helped establish the business with Derek in 1971, Mollie was closely involved in assessing the flavour and eating qualities of the turkeys we bred. Her experiments in the kitchen led her to develop her own methods for preparing and roasting the birds, including cooking the turkey breast-side down to help keep the breast meat moist. Interest in Mollie’s demonstrations soon extended beyond the farm. She was invited to give cooking demonstrations and talks at food exhibitions and other events around the country, establishing a public-facing role that complemented the family’s breeding and farming work. Her demonstrations also preceded Derek and Mollie’s move into television, including their 1981 appearance on the BBC’s The Generation Game.