Background
Coulson was born into a Quaker family, the son of a draper in Bedford.
Coulson was born into a Quaker family, the son of a draper in Bedford.
He was educated at Bedford Modern School.
His obituary in The Independent described him as a deeply sensitive cook whose ‘airy, light sticky toffee pudding could stand as an epitaph to him in itself’. He likened pastry-making to pianoplaying: "lieutenant is an art that comes as much from the heart as the hands," he said. During the Second World War Coulson was a conscientious objector and produced 300 meals a day for Toc H. lieutenant was there in the 1970s that Coulson developed sticky toffee pudding and the hotel later became the Egon Ronay Guide Hotel of the Year in 1974.
In 1976, Coulson was one of the "five best Chefs of Britain" to be invited by Egon Ronay to prepare lunch at Maxim"s in Paris.
The Sharrow Bay Country House was later awarded the Restaurant of the Year title in 1980 and one Michelin Star in 2008. In her book, Food Culture in Great Britain, Laura Mason wrote, "Influential figures included Francis Coulson, at Sharrow Bay in the Lake District (said to be Britain"s first country house hotel) and George Perry-Smith at the Hole in the Wall Restaurant in Bath.
They and a few contemporaries influenced a generation of restaurateurs with their personal styles, which depended on a deep interest in eating (as opposed to learning the business aspect via a college course)." Coulson"s obituary in The Independent described him as a deeply sensitive cook whose ‘airy, light sticky toffee pudding could stand as an epitaph to him in itself’. He likened pastry-making to pianoplaying: "lieutenant is an art that comes as much from the heart as the hands," he said.