about Jane

Jane is a cook, food stylist, recipe developer and author. With over 40 years of experience, Jane trained at the Cordon Bleu, before teaching at Leith’s School of Food and Wine and going on to run her own catering company in London. As a food stylist, she tested and developed recipes for cookery books, magazines and TV. Jane is at her happiest when cooking, preparing and eating (!) food. Her philosophy is simple: that cooking should be fun, rather than frightening or a chore.

Jane runs cookery demonstrations from her home in north Northumberland, London and other locations around the UK, as well as occasionally via Zoom.

The demonstrations are relaxed, interactive and aimed at all cooks – from complete beginners to the very experienced, time-poor cooks to the unconfident or those simply seeking some inspiration. Packed full of useful tips including time saving tricks, presentational ideas, ways to help “get ahead” and inventive kitchen skill hacks, the demonstrations are as extensive and informative as they are fun and convivial.

Jane has written five cookbooks. Make It Easy and The Get-Ahead Cook both have an emphasis on empowering every cook to produce truly delicious, beautifully presented and – crucially – stress-free food for themselves, their families and their guests. All the recipes have prepare-ahead elements and include detailed instructions for getting ahead. Just One Pan and Deliciously Simple were published by Headline Home in 2021 and 2023 respectively.

Her fifth book The Get-Ahead Christmas Cook - The Indispensable Companion for Effortless Festive Entertaining will be published on 3rd October, 2024 and is available to pre-order on the Book page of this website, for delivery on, or just before, publication day.

Jane writes a column for a bi-monthly magazine, contributes to other publications and is a member of the Guild of Food Writers.

She is a keen gardener and - when not demonstrating, recipe testing or chatting to her equally greedy, food-mad Instagram friends, can usually be found pottering in her garden, growing and harvesting her own vegetables or foraging in the Northumbrian countryside, accompanied by her dogs.