Grace Dent was born on 3 October 1973 in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, and grew up in Carlisle, Cumbria. Details about her parents are limited publicly, though her upbringing has influenced her writing style and perspective.

She attended Caldew School and later studied English Literature at the University of Stirling. During university, she began writing features, which helped launch her journalism career.

Dent started her career working for magazines such as Marie Claire before joining The Guardian in 1999. She became well known for her TV and restaurant columns, eventually establishing herself as a leading UK food critic.

She became a regular critic on MasterChef and related BBC programmes, later rising to co-host/judge the show on BBC One alongside chef Anna Haugh from 2025–2026.

Dent lives in the UK and continues to work as a writer, broadcaster, and presenter, maintaining a high profile in British media and food culture.