Book – Ian Dowding https://iandowding.co.uk Consultant chef, writer and the inventor of Banoffi Pie. Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:36:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.1 The Life and Times of Banoffi Pie https://iandowding.co.uk/product/the-life-and-times-of-banoffi-pie/ Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:28:30 +0000 https://iandowding.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=1467

The Life and Times of Banoffi Pie

If one set out to create or invent something with the intention of making it world famous, whether it be a gadget, a book, a song or even a humble pudding, the chances are you would fail. Of all the things we know that have reached that status you would probably find the journey to get there had been long, bizarre, complicated, convoluted and extremely unlikely. I know this because this was how Banoffi Pie started as a humble dessert, developed at a small restaurant in Sussex called The Hungry Monk in 1971 and started a journey to become world famous.

This is the story of how Banoffi Pie was invented, by its co-inventor and chef Ian Dowding. As well as being co-inventor of Banoffi Pie, Ian Dowding has been a chef and restaurateur all his working life and was the head chef of The Hungry Monk for twenty years from its beginning in 1968. He opened his own restaurant Quincy’s with his wife, Dawn, in 1988. Since hanging up his apron he has written a cookery book and three novels.

 Signed Edition

Ian is happy to sign the paper back for you or add a dedication. Either add your message to the notes on checkout or email Ian separately.

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The Life and Times of Banoffi Pie

If one set out to create or invent something with the intention of making it world famous, whether it be a gadget, a book, a song or even a humble pudding, the chances are you would fail. Of all the things we know that have reached that status you would probably find the journey to get there had been long, bizarre, complicated, convoluted and extremely unlikely. I know this because this was how Banoffi Pie started as a humble dessert, developed at a small restaurant in Sussex called The Hungry Monk in 1971 and started a journey to become world famous.

This is the story of how Banoffi Pie was invented, by its co-inventor and chef Ian Dowding. As well as being co-inventor of Banoffi Pie, Ian Dowding has been a chef and restaurateur all his working life and was the head chef of The Hungry Monk for twenty years from its beginning in 1968. He opened his own restaurant Quincy’s with his wife, Dawn, in 1988. Since hanging up his apron he has written a cookery book and three novels.

 Signed Edition

Ian is happy to sign the paper back for you or add a dedication. Either add your message to the notes on checkout or email Ian separately.

]]> A Fraternity of Thieves https://iandowding.co.uk/product/a-fraternity-of-thieves-2/ Sat, 26 Jul 2025 20:52:51 +0000 https://iandowding.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=1437

A story of smuggling in the 18th century.

Smugglers, cut-throats, horse thieves and highwaymen create local havoc. Tales of landing contraband, avoiding the law desperate sword fights, underground tunnels, murder by pike and pistol, bent law men and corrupt vicars, and a daring escape from prison. Thuggery, swashbuckle and skulduggery on every page. (576 pages)

Signed Edition

Ian is happy to sign the paper back for you or add a dedication. Either add your message to the notes on checkout or email Ian separately.

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A story of smuggling in the 18th century.

Smugglers, cut-throats, horse thieves and highwaymen create local havoc. Tales of landing contraband, avoiding the law desperate sword fights, underground tunnels, murder by pike and pistol, bent law men and corrupt vicars, and a daring escape from prison. Thuggery, swashbuckle and skulduggery on every page. (576 pages)

Signed Edition

Ian is happy to sign the paper back for you or add a dedication. Either add your message to the notes on checkout or email Ian separately.

]]> The Scent of Demons https://iandowding.co.uk/product/the-scent-of-demons/ Sat, 26 Jul 2025 20:24:14 +0000 https://iandowding.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=1400

A classic horror story spanning three centuries.

In 1793 a witch fearing prosecution sets a spell that invokes the demon Azazel. The only problem with demons is that once you have summoned one from the depths of hell it is the very devil of a job to send them back. (344 pages)

Signed  Edition

Ian is happy to sign the paper back for you or add a dedication. Either add your message to the notes on checkout or email Ian separately.

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]]> Fish Farce https://iandowding.co.uk/product/fish-farce/ Wed, 18 Oct 2023 18:20:49 +0000 https://iandowding.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=1267

Signed First Edition

Ian is happy to sign the paper back for you or add a dedication. Either add your message to the notes on checkout or email Ian separately.

A Rumbustious Romp of a Novel

Justin comes to Cocklebury-on-Sea to find his real father – his only lead – a photograph.

Councillor’s daughter, Jo, has lied about her age to take a part time modelling job.

Club owner, Ray wants to open an amusement arcade but the land he wants is not for sale and Ray doesn’t like things getting in his way.

After a misspent youth Ben just wants to settle down and paint but his past keeps catching up with him.

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]]> Paperback Edition https://iandowding.co.uk/product/paper-edition/ Tue, 24 Nov 2020 20:21:44 +0000 https://iandowding.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=828 PAPERBACK EDITION Paper back, can be signed on request

Salmon Caprice (a dish containing bananas) has been part of my repertoire for many years now and has become a family favourite. Many years ago I was amused when Monty Python created a song for a court room sketch that included the words ‘fish bananas’ amongst other randomly unconnected items such as pyjamas and mutton and since then I have always used this as a jokey shorthand for this dish - hence the title of this book.

]]> Ian Dowding was the original head chef of The Hungry Monk Restaurant in Jevington East Sussex and was responsible along with the proprietor, Nigel Mackenzie, for the development of the dessert Banoffi Pie which has become a worldwide favourite. He went on to open his own restaurant (Quincy’s in Seaford) with his wife in 1988. In 2000 he became a freelance chef and consultant and was involved in a variety of projects. As well as teaching cookery evening classes at Sussex Downs College he worked on several TV programmes including Regency House Party (Channel 4), The Diets that Time Forgot (Channel 4), Turn Back Time (BBC 1), and Blizzard (BBC 2).

The recipes in this book are a record of my fifty years of cooking professionally. It is admittedly an odd selection reflecting the different areas I have worked in from the restaurant trade to teaching adults at college and in private cookery schools.

There is a mixture of traditional, old fashioned, modern, historical and international with home cooking and comfort food in there for good measure. Food in restaurants is about fashion and therefore some of the dishes I cooked in the sixties and seventies would look out of place on modern restaurant menus which does not mean they are not valid today.

 

 

]]> Limited Edition Hard Back https://iandowding.co.uk/product/limited-edition-hard-back/ Mon, 09 Nov 2020 11:32:14 +0000 https://iandowding.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=756 LIMTED EDTION, Signed Hard Back A limited edition of 50 signed, numbered, hardback books.

Salmon Caprice (a dish containing bananas) has been part of my repertoire for many years now and has become a family favourite. Many years ago I was amused when Monty Python created a song for a court room sketch that included the words ‘fish bananas’ amongst other randomly unconnected items such as pyjamas and mutton and since then I have always used this as a jokey shorthand for this dish - hence the title of this book.

]]> Ian Dowding was the original head chef of The Hungry Monk Restaurant in Jevington East Sussex and was responsible along with the proprietor, Nigel Mackenzie, for the development of the dessert Banoffi Pie which has become a worldwide favourite. He went on to open his own restaurant (Quincy’s in Seaford) with his wife in 1988. In 2000 he became a freelance chef and consultant and was involved in a variety of projects. As well as teaching cookery evening classes at Sussex Downs College he worked on several TV programmes including Regency House Party (Channel 4), The Diets that Time Forgot (Channel 4), Turn Back Time (BBC 1), and Blizzard (BBC 2).

The recipes in this book are a record of my fifty years of cooking professionally. It is admittedly an odd selection reflecting the different areas I have worked in from the restaurant trade to teaching adults at college and in private cookery schools.

There is a mixture of traditional, old fashioned, modern, historical and international with home cooking and comfort food in there for good measure. Food in restaurants is about fashion and therefore some of the dishes I cooked in the sixties and seventies would look out of place on modern restaurant menus which does not mean they are not valid today.

 

 

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