Polly Russell

• 1. Academic Foundations And Early Career

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  Polly Elisabeth Russell earned a first-class bachelor's degree in American and Commonwealth Arts from the University of Exeter between 1990 and 1994. She followed this with a master's degree in journalism at Louisiana State University during the 1995 to 1996 academic year. A stipend allowed her to spend one full year researching food directly within Louisiana before she returned to the United Kingdom. Her professional path took an unexpected turn when she worked as a kitchen junior at The Carved Angel restaurant. She also held a position at Moro Restaurant, gaining hands-on experience in British kitchens while studying history. This blend of academic theory and practical cooking formed the basis for her later work.

• 2. PhD Research And Academic Fellowship

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  Russell completed her doctoral thesis on food futures at the University of Sheffield in 2003. Her research focused on how food systems might evolve over time rather than just their historical origins. From 2003 until 2007, she served as a research fellow at that same university. During these years, she balanced academic duties with freelance writing and research projects outside the institution. The completion of her PhD marked a transition from student to independent scholar. Her early career included a stint at Marks & Spencer starting in July 1997 where she worked in product development.

• 3. Curatorial Leadership At The British Library

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  She joined the British Library in 2007 as Lead Curator for Human Geography and Anthropology. By 2008, her role shifted to curator in Social Sciences within the archive. One major project involved Sisterhood & After, an oral history documenting the Women's Liberation Movement. Russell oversaw the digitisation of Spare Rib magazine, preserving feminist voices from the past. Her work connects human geography with social science through the lens of food and culture. These responsibilities placed her at the center of public engagement with historical archives.

• 4. Commercial Food Writing And Publishing

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  The Financial Times Weekend magazine published her "The History Cook" column beginning in 2012. This regular feature explored recipes and dining habits through a historical framework. In 2008, Ebury Press released The Kitchen Revolution: A year of time-and-money-saving recipes co-authored with Rosie Sykes and Zoe Heron. Another publication titled Welcome to London: A world of eating appeared in 2015 as a map created by Herb Lester Associates alongside Jenny Linford and Mikey Burton. These works translated academic research into accessible formats for general readers. Her writing bridged the gap between scholarly inquiry and everyday cooking practices.

• 5. Television Presenting And Public Engagement

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  In 2015, Polly Russell began co-presenting the BBC television series Back in Time for... alongside Sara Cox. The show examined historical cooking methods and their relevance to modern life. She founded the British Library's annual Food Season event in 2018 to engage wider audiences. This initiative brought together experts and the public to discuss food history through talks and exhibitions. Her television work expanded her reach beyond academic circles into mainstream media. The combination of broadcasting and curation established her as a key figure in public food history.