Annabel Karmel has good reason to smile. The top-selling author of children’s cookery books, Mrs Karmel recently picked up two awards in just as many weeks.

She was honoured with a Caterer and Hotelkeeper Excellence award for her spaghetti bolognaise with hidden vegetable sauce and, perhaps more significantly, a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oscars of the UK nursery industry.

Mrs Karmel, a 49-year-old mother-of-three, tells People: “My mission over the past 20 years has been to improve the quality of food for babies and children.”

She has written more than 19 books, created food ranges for babies and toddlers, and her Eat Fussy ready-meals, which hit the shelves in Sainsbury’s in 2007, are the market leader.

Her menus can now be found at theme parks and holiday destinations including Alton Towers, Legoland and Butlins.

She is also getting ready to release three new books, launch a Disney co-branded food range in America, and is in talks with ITV about hosting her own television show in which she teaches children to cook.

Oh yes, and she writes regularly for the JC. “I never imagined when I started that it would grow like this. I am just as passionate as ever.

“I was particularly delighted to receive the Lifetime Achievement award as I had been going to the ceremony for years but never won anything. This was the first year I had my own table so it was great. It is a very competitive industry. I am really excited about it.”