I guess a lot of you may be wondering why does Jules need a website, and it is a very good question.
The truth is that after years of hoarding hundreds of recipes in folders, lugging them all around the world (twice!), and storing them randomly in organised chaos scattered to all corners of the house, I finally decided to get with the times and provide a collective hub for my best-loved recipes; secret gems from my experience working as a cook, from friends and family over the years, and presented simply as an easy reference source for those wonderful people who share my passion for cooking.
as you can share
in my experience right here!”
Julia Toon
With over 35 years of experience in the industry, food preparation is Julia’s passion, during which she has run her own ‘delicious food’ companies, worked as a personal chef to the VIPs of politics, business, entertainment, and been lucky enough to see her work printed in magazines.
Julia has worked extensively in the United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, New Zealand and her home away from home: Qatar. She is always adding to her expertise and knowledge by studying the cuisine and food preparation methods in each of these countries, and every country she visits.
Her biggest career delight was working as a personal cook to actor Harrison Ford, film director Steven Spielburg and his partner film producer George Lucas, plus the Californian fitness guru Jake Steinfeld. She has also been very privileged to cater for prime ministers and members of the UK Parliament, foreign dignitaries and ambassadors, and for the chairman of corporations such as British Shipbuilders, Sotheby’s Antiques House, Clarke Shoes, Mulberry and Danka UK.
Her career in food has always been varied. Starting at the age of 19 cooking gastropub grub for the kitchen of ‘The Elephants Head’ Hook Green, East Sussex, to overseas travel to Marbella Spain and a manageress and cook position at a small private hotel on the Greek island of Mykonos (where her passion and love for the Mediterranean began).
Julia has also had the amazing experience of working on a 73ft charter Kauri motor launch leading up to the America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, with guests varying from private hire to corporate entertaining, television work and pop stars. She also ran two catering companies ‘West Country Weddings’ Somerset and ‘Absolutely Fabulous Food and Cakes’ with partner ‘Absolutely Fabulous Flowers’ in Auckland, New Zealand.
After 22 years of living in Doha, Qatar with her family Julia now resides in Devon, United Kingdom, with frequent trips back to Doha to see partners, clients and of course friends. Her culinary experiences during the years in Doha have been varied and fulfilling, learning fully about the Gulf lifestyle and traditions of the Qatari people. Julia now continues to grow and learn from her new surroundings in Devon, and of course sharing her culinary knowledge of food with those in this unique part of the world whilst reaching further afield throughout the United Kingdom and Europe.
Supporting partners are The LULU Group International and The Cooking Academy Qatar, with associates Qinwan Dates, Marhaba Destination and Information Guide, and Printec Creative Design Solutions. Background products for photographic work is provided by THE One Qatar.
