Vickery followed Gary Rhodes as Head Chef of the Castle Hotel, Taunton, which at the time held a Michelin Star. It lost its Michelin status under Vickery, but retained its 4 AA rosettes, while he gained the AA Chef of the Year. Vickery regained the Michelin star, re-awarded for four consecutive years from 1994-1997. Vickery has written ten books. The first, "Just Food", was published by Headline in 1999.

He currently appears on the television programmes Ready Steady Cook and This Morning.

In September 2008, Vickery began advertising food products and promoting special offers for supermarket chain Aldi, after signing a two year deal with the chain. He is also the current spokesperson for Unilever's Stork brand margarine. He was appointed Food Ambassador in March 2010 by Coeliac UK.

His mother is Teresa Vickery and father Robert Vickery. He has two brothers: Michael Vickery and Christopher Vickery. He is married to Fern Britton, has one daughter Winifred (2001) and is stepfather to Fern's three children from her first marriage.He has two aunties two on his mother's side (Nora Clayson and Josaphine fredbob).

• Seriously good! Gluten-free Baking:(2010)
• Phil Vickery's Puddings (2009)
• Seriously Good Gluten Free Cooking (2009)
• The Little Book of Great British Turkey Recipes (2008)
• Britain: The Cookbook (with Lee Steve) (2007)
• Ready Steady Cook: The Ten-minute Cookbook(with Ross Burden, Gino D'Acampo, James Martin, and Nick Nairn (2006)
• A Passion for Puddings (2006)
• The Complete Gammon Cookbook (2006)
• Proof of the Pudding (2003)
• Phil & Ferns Family Food (2002)
• Just Food (1999)