In Queen Elizabeth II's New Year's honors list, Jane Best Cooke was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire. She was awarded this distinction in recognition of her contribution to the promotion in Japan of British culture, and to a wide range of charitable and international friendship activities.
Many Tokyo residents know Jane and her husband, Steve, from the restaurant 1066, which they opened in the 1980s in Naka-Meguro. They decided to run a restaurant because, she said, "I was constantly asked about British food, and there was no British restaurant in Tokyo." One of her aims was to present the traditional nature of British food. Another was to improve its reputation. Half a dozen years after opening 1066, Steve and Jane opened a second restaurant near Iidabashi Station. They called it Cook's. About the same time, Jane published her book, "Eikoku Oishii Monogatari."
Jane was brought up in a small village on the south coast of England. She was a shy child who loved horses, and loved being a backstage helper with a dramatic group her father supported. In her final school year, Jane fought shyness as she took part in debate and joined in with fellow students who were becoming aware of current issues.