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Episode Description:

In this Christmas Special, which Julia refers to her ‘Christmas Gift’ she talks to Prue Leith, celebrated restaurateur, author, and television personality. Prue offers a candid and deeply reflective look into her leadership journey, shaped by honesty, optimism, and persistence. From transforming toxic kitchen cultures to championing better school food systems, she shares the lessons learned from a career defined by creativity and determination.

Prue also explores the balance of being both flexible and dogged in leadership, highlighting her relentless five-year campaign to bring sculptures to Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth. On her approach to leading, she reflects on the responsibility of channeling Energy “You must have Energy as a leader. You can’t just sit still and expect things to happen. You need to galvanize others, inspire them with enthusiasm, and make them believe that the goal is not just possible, but exciting.”

This episode dives into Prue’s evolving leadership style, the power of persistence, and the nuanced art of fostering talent while respecting individuality. Listen to this episode to gain fresh insights into leadership, creativity, and optimism from a life lived with purpose.

About the Guests

Dame Prudence Leith

Dame Prudence Leith is a renowned South African-born restaurateur, cookery writer, and broadcaster. Best known as a judge on The Great British Bake Off since 2017, she has had a long and influential career in the food industry, from founding the Michelin-starred Leith’s restaurant to establishing Leith’s School of Food and Wine. An advocate for food education, she has written 12 cookbooks and seven novels, while also chairing initiatives like the School Food Trust. Leith has been involved in various educational and charitable endeavors and is Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. In 2024, she launched Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen, further cementing her legacy as a culinary icon.

About the Host

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.