The Duchess of Duke Street

Born into the servant class, Louisa Leyton makes good on her vow to become the finest cook in turn-of-the-century London. She rises from the scullery to become chef de cuisine to the rich and famous as well as manager of the most elegant-- and discreet-- hotel in town without ever losing her Cockney accent or attitude. Along the way, her beauty and high spirits capture the attention of powerful men who instruct her in the complicated social code of the times. Based on the true story of Rosa Lewis, a culinary genius and owner of the venerable Cavendish Hotel, this acclaimed BBC series depicts the elegant food and fashions of the Edwardian era in entertaining stories full of romance and intrigue. Created by John Hawkesworth (Upstairs Downstairs) and starring Gemma Jones (Briget Jones's Diary, Sense and Sensibility) as Louisa and Christopher Casenove (A Knight's Tale, TV's Dynasty) as Charlie, the dashing love of her life.