Chef/patron, Bocca di Lupo


With the acclaimed Bocca di Lupo, Gelupo and a pub – not to mention the several best-selling books under his belt, Jacob Kenedy has been a leading light in London’s food scene for over 20 years. 


What are your memories of food growing up? 

My early food memories are all related to pasta. I remember being a kid and both my parents cooking for me. Spaghetti with tomato sauce, spaghetti with meatballs, which featured very highly on my list of esteemed foods, ravioli with butter and sage, and spaghetti with pesto.


You don’t have any Italian blood in the veins – why did pasta feature so heavily?

My mum grew up in Rome in the 50’s and 60’s so Italian is one of her first languages. She grew up on their cuisine, honeymooned in Italy with my dad for a year and we’ve kept a family home there ever since. Italy was always very much part of our lives. 


How did food become a career?

I had a period as a youth when I kept on changing my mind about what I wanted to be. I decided on a gap year. Moro had just opened in Exmouth Market, and I was eating there one day with my family. I was blown away by the food, and my mum encouraged me to see if I could work there for a few days in the kitchen. 


What did you do? 

I found the courage and spoke to one of the Sams, asking if I could come and spend one week there. They kindly agreed to my request (insisting I finish school first) and I quickly fell in love with the restaurant, the life and camaraderie of the professional kitchen.   


How did you progress?

I was still planning to go to Cambridge, but I just loved the work at Moro. After six months of my gap year at Moro, I headed to San Francisco to work in the kitchen at Boulevard. I cut my teeth in those two kitchens with truly great chefs who are still very important parts of my life today.  


How did you get into the Italian side of the culinary world? 

I was a bit naughty and took another gap year after university, which I spent travelling around Italy. Initially, it was just as a voyage but in retrospect it turned into the research that led to Bocca di Lupo, Gelupo and ultimately, my
new book. 


How far ahead were you thinking at this point?

I wasn’t thinking too far ahead, but I reached a point where I had been working for Moro on and off for a good chunk of time. Then Nancy Oakes, who was my head chef and boss at Boulevard, offered me experience opening a second restaurant. I went out to help her open it as a chance to learn about what was required to set up a business.
After a year or so, I headed back to London to help Ollie Rowe (a friend from Moro) to open his restaurant. It was then that I seriously started to think about the kind of restaurant I wanted to create. That turned into Bocca di Lupo.


Tell us about your latest book – Pasta Tricolore: Recipes in Green, White and Red

I really love pasta, but I think a lot of cooks, both domestic and professional, don’t fully understand how to get it exactly right. The starting premise of the book, which I actually hold to, is that there are only three or four recipes you need for pasta. Tomato, pesto, butter and sage and maybe bolognese. All the rest are just derivatives of these archetype sauces, and really are not as good. Those four are unbeatable. The book explores the classic pasta recipes with a contemporary eye. White sauces, green sauces and red sauces. The colours of the Italian flag. 

Three tips to set up your own business


1. Stop before you do it and make sure you know what you’re giving up. You do give up the freedom or ability to forget about work when you go to sleep. It may be worth it but make sure you’re aware.

2. Don’t try to make something for what you think other people might want; it is a dishonour to them. Don’t second guess what people think or the market demands. Make something that you yourself love – there will be enough others who feel the same way.

3. Whether it’s staff, suppliers or customers – make sure they’re decent people.