Creativity and cooking are a universal language, and they happen to be my love language.” — Josie

The JEK Story

“Tell Josie to cook!”

It was November 2007, and the pressure was on. My husband was between jobs, bills were mounting, and it seemed my two young children would be staring at an empty tree for Christmas. That’s when a good friend suggested I turn my passion for food into something more...

I sent out an email saying I was making Chutney, a sweet-and-sour relish that was a holiday favourite from my childhood in England. I topped the jars with raw silk and ribbons, creating a unique, homemade (already wrapped) gift at an affordable price. I hoped to sell a few dozen jars and be able to buy presents for my kids. Three weeks—and 473 jars—later, Josie’s English Kitchen™ was born!

In 2008 we added new products: a port-and-cranberry compote, a sun-dried tomato tapenade, a three-fruit marmalade, and a fabulous, new alternative to maple syrup—Orange Marmalicious™—and sold over 1,100 jars!

In 2009 we’re kicking it up a notch with new product offerings, this new website, a professional commercial kitchen, and more—watch this space!

Watch Josie on

PBS’ A Place of Our Own

PBS Television was inspired by our story and sent a film crew.

Watch it here!