The Short Cut:
A quick fire chat about working life with Dominique Woolf
At the heart of the Nurture Network is the power of sharing experiences. From breakthrough career moments, to best ever advice, how to deal with stress and the women that inspire them.
The Short Cut designed to bring you a snapshot of our members’ working lives. Today we’re speaking to Dominique Woolf, cookbook author and Founder of The Woolf’s Kitchen.
Tell us about your breakthrough career moment
Winning Jamie Oliver’s Great Cookbook Challenge TV show. It gave me a platform and enabled me to publish my cookbook, Dominique’s Kitchen which became a #1 Sunday Times best-seller. I now have a new career as a food writer which I absolutely love, as well as my food business, The Woolf’s Kitchen.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?
Jump before you’re ready and iterate as you go. I can’t remember where I heard it but it’s great advice. Research and planning are obviously important but there comes a point where you need to take action – even if it’s just small footsteps. Procrastination is the killer of ideas and sometimes you just need to take the plunge.
Have you ever felt held back as a women in business?
Fortunately I haven’t – so far I’ve not experienced inequality in the food world. However, having young kids does present itself with challenges, namely lack of time to do everything. Often my working day ends at 3.30pm which can make it hard to fit it all in. I’m lucky in that my mum helps pick them up from school and my husband is very supportive, so I just try to do what I can when I can.
How do you protect your mental health in moments of pressure?
Exercise is super-important to me. Going for a run really clears my head so I try to go several times a week, as well as do a quick HIIT workout at home. Even 10 minutes can make a difference. I’ve also started meditating and try and do that if I’m feeling stressed.
Do you have any hobbies to keep you busy in your spare time?
My kids take up most of my spare time but I do love running and discovering new restaurants.
I feel empowered when…
I’ve made a plan for the week and manage to successfully tick things off the to-do list. It helps me feel proactive and in control of my own destiny.
The world would be a better place when…
we all realise how short our time on earth is, and how important it is to make what we do count. Treat each other with kindness, be mindful and enjoy the moment!
The woman everyone should know about is…
Emma Jones is the founder of Enterprise Nation and is a real advocate of small businesses. If you have one or are starting out then I highly recommend checking it out.
The woman who empowers me the most is…
I have a number of friends who are real cheerleaders and always remind me of what I’ve achieved if I’m feeling anxious about things.
My favorite place…
My mum is from Thailand and I love going there – it’s beautiful and the food is amazing
