Meet the Cookery School Team: Jules Kane

Job Title/Role at the school: Head of the Cookery School  

When you joined Divertimenti: November 2023 

What you love most about your job:  

Everyday at the school is different and we are surrounded by constant inspiration fromour teachers, recipes & ingredients. I love to help pass on the knowledge that I have gathered being a chef and sharing my passion for food & cooking.  

What is your background in food:

I trained as a chef at 16 and have spent my career in many kitchens ever since. I then moved to running a gastro pub in South Devon and started my own food delivery & catering business in 2020. I still run this alongside managing the school and I am also the curator of London’s only dedicated cheese market, so never far away from food!

What are you most excited for at the school for 2025: 

After our first year of re-opening the school in 2024, I am excited to be welcoming back our clients, teachers & new customers. We have a packed schedule with returning chefs & new class formats so it will be lovely to host such a varied calendar over this coming year with many different hands on classes, chef’s table sessions & supper clubs.  

Favourite class at the school to teach or be a part of: 

I love getting the kitchen ready to host a class, there is something very pleasing about seeing all of the ingredients, equipment and sections laid out, laying the table and everything ready to host our guests for the day, I also love the moment when the shop is filed by the gorgeous aromas from the cooking and all the customers stop and ask what’s cooking today, a lovely moment to interact with our visitors.  

Highlight at the school so far: 

My 2024 highlight was being reunited with Prue Leith at the cookery school. After training at Leith’s with her back at the start of my career, it was very special to show her how the training at the school she started, has helped me throughout my career, she is so inspiring!

Where do you go for inspiration in the kitchen: 

I am lucky lot be surrounded at the school by constant inspiration from our visiting chefs, food writers with brand new recipe book launches & hosting events at the school. Never a week passes where I am introduced to a new recipe or reminded of an ingredient I haven’t cooked with for a while which then spills over to what I cook at home for my family.  

Cooking or baking? 

Cooking always! My daughter is the baker in our house!  

Sweet or Savoury? 

Savoury is my go-to as I don’t have a very sweet tooth.