David Atherton

Has the Recipe for Fun in the Kitchen

by Lindsey Giardino

Winning Season 10 of The Great British Bake Off is the accomplishment of a lifetime for David Atherton. “Being on the show was like a dream,” he says. “It’s a TV show I’ve always loved, and my friends and family would tell me every year to apply. Finally I did, and the whole experience was amazing.”

The wildly popular series is a British television baking competition in which amateur bakers try to win over the judges with their tasty treats. Atherton’s dishes on the show included a vanilla sponge cake, cinnamon swirls, and fancy custards. 

As a champion of The Great British Bake Off, it’s evident that Atherton’s baked goods are mouthwatering. Now, he’s sharing his skills and knowledge with kids through a new cookbook, Bake, Make & Learn to Cook Vegetarian: Healthy and Green Recipes for Young Cooks (Candlewick Press). 

The cookbook, illustrated by Alice Bowsher, features more than 40 vegetarian and plant-based recipes for meals, snacks, and desserts—everything from spicy cauliflower bites to veggie burgers to chocolate cookies made with avocados. The book tailors to young chefs by including easy to follow, illustrated, step-by-step instructions.

In 2021, Atherton also authored Bake, Make & Learn to Cook: Fun and Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks that shared kid-friendly recipes like tacos, chocolate cake, and tomato soup. 

Atherton’s favorite part of creating cookbooks for kids is coming up with recipe ideas, which he’s able to do quickly as his mind whirls through all the possibilities. Then comes the tricky part of turning them into actual dishes. “Writing recipes for kids is all about making the recipes robust,” he says. “You need them to withstand children adding more or less of the ingredients. I strongly believe kids should be in control of the recipe and I like to encourage them to experiment with flavors.”

The fact that Atherton now has two published cookbooks to his name continues to surprise him. Writing his first one was an idea inspired by his lifelong obsession with books. “My parents encouraged us to read and restricted TV time, so all of my family loves books,” Atherton says. 

For Bake, Make & Learn to Cook: Fun and Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks, he partnered with his friend and children’s book illustrator, Rachel Stubbs. “We pitched the book together, with me writing the recipes and Rachel illustrating the ingredients, step-by-steps, and final images,” Atherton explains. “Writing cookbooks is just as magical as I thought it would be.”

And when it comes to food in general, Atherton’s passion stems from his childhood. He grew up in a rural, northern part of the United Kingdom surrounded by farms and countryside. His family of seven lived in a small home but had a large garden outside where they had chickens, vegetable plots, and an apple orchard. 

“My mum was a big hippy who was obsessed with healthy eating,” Atherton says. “It helped that she was amazing in the kitchen and encouraged all her kids to help out. We grew up with only freshly baked bread and learned the importance of fruits and vegetables.”

For his college studies, Atherton pursued a degree in nursing and then got a master’s degree in global health and public health. “As a child, everyone asked me why I didn’t want to work in the food industry, and I used to reply that I wanted to keep the kitchen a place where I had fun and relaxed,” Atherton explains. “Working in healthcare has suited my personality, and traveling the world and working for charities satiated the adventurer in me. I think everyone should have multiple careers to keep it interesting.”

Outside of his work, Atherton enjoys crafting and recently introduced his husband to quilting. Now they spend their evenings making baby quilts for friends. He also does pottery and loves making his own kitchenware. In addition, Atherton is passionate about fitness and will be running the London Marathon in 2023. 

Looking to the future, Atherton is committed to writing more children’s cookbooks and has loads of ideas for new projects. He plans on visiting the United States in 2023 and hopefully speaking to students at schools, which he does a lot in the UK.

“I am passionate about getting kids to understand more about the food they eat,” Atherton says, “and to enjoy spending time in the kitchen.” 

For more information about David Atherton and his books, visit him on Instagram @nomadbakerdavid.