The London Foodie Supper Club

Washoku or Japanese Cooking is one of my greatest passions in life. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a Japanese home in the South American city of Sao Paulo, and have, since moving to London 20 years ago, pursued my interest to learn more about this fascinating cuisine.

By Catriona Mills

Since leaving investment banking in 2011, I moved to Tokyo to do Japanese food research and recipe writing. I also took private Japanese cookery classes during the day and worked at a Japanese Izakaya (casual Japanese restaurant) at night (more about these experiences here). I returned to London to start the Grand Diplome at Le Cordon Bleu and the Japanese Supper Club which I now run from my home in Islington.

If you are interested in learning more about Japanese cuisine, beyond sushi and sashimi, and would like to attend one of the Japanese Home Cooking Supper Club events I run, contact me on luizharaAThotmailDOTcom using the subject line JAPANESE SUPPER CLUB.

I also cater for private or corporate events at my home in Islington or at your own London location. 

I have worked with major food brands including Bordeaux Wines, Tilda Basmati, EventBrite, Unearthed and Discovery Foods to present their range of products in a non-commercial, friendly supper club environment. If you are a PR consultant and would like to discuss this opportunity further for one of your clients, send me an email for further details.

If you cannot make it to any of the below dates but would like to be informed of other future dates, send me an e-mail to luizharaAThotmailDOTcom, and I will add you on to my supper club mailing list.

2013 sees the beginning of a series of Japanese cookery classes I will be hosting for up to 7 attendees per class at my home in Islington. I will be demonstrating a Japanese set-menu of 6 favourite dishes from my supper club. 

I will provide detailed written recipes and timings for the menu as well as a thorough explanation of all Japanese ingredients used and where to purchase them. Participation will be highly encouraged and after completing the class, you should feel confident to replicate the entire menu for a Japanese dinner party for family or friends. 

Classes are priced at £75 per person and are BYO (water and green tea provided free of charge).

Japanese Cookery Classes - Forthcoming Dates:

28th May 2013 - Tuesday (6:30pm - 10:30pm)

30th May 2013 - Thursday (6:30pm - 10:30pm)

1st June 2013 - Saturday (11am - 4pm)

11th June 2013 - Tuesday (6:30pm - 10:30pm)

13th June 2013 - Thursday (6:30pm - 10:30pm)

Hosted by Luiz Hara of The London Foodie
Location: my home, Islington, from 11am to 4pm or 6:30pm to 10:30pm
Cost: £75 (cookery class), BYO

Japanese Home Cooking Supper Club - Forthcoming Dates:

2nd May 2013 - Thursday

3rd May 2013 - Friday

4th May 2013 - Saturday

9th May 2013 - Thursday

10th May 2013 - Friday

11th May 2013 - Saturday (Private Birthday Supper Club)

23rd May 2013 - Saturday (Private Birthday Supper Club)

20th June 2013 - Thursday

21st June 2013 - Friday

22nd June 2013 - Saturday

27th June 2013 - Thursday

28th June 2013 - Friday

29th June 2013 - Saturday

French Provincial Cooking Supper Club - Forthcoming Dates:

16th May 2013 - Thursday

17th May 2013 - Friday

18th May 2013 - Saturday

6th June 2013 - Thursday

7th June 2013 - Friday

8th June 2013 - Saturday

Hosted by Luiz Hara of The London Foodie

Location: my home, Islington, from 19:30 hours
Cost: £38 + service (supper club), BYO

Book: e-mail luizharaAThotmailDOTcom

What Others are Saying of the Japanese Home Cooking Supper Club

"...Luiz was right when he warned me to come hungry - and all this was for a mere £35 donation. You'd be hard pushed to find such good quality, good value food at a Japanese restaurant."
By The Evening Standard

"...Ex-investment banker Luiz Hara introduces diners to a wide range of homestyle Japanese cuisine. His cauldrons of nabe (hotpot; right) have delighted many Londoners who are, until their nabe encounter, usually unfamiliar with the Asian communal style of eating..."

By SilverKris - Singapore Airlines Inflight Magazine

"‘In the name of great food, wine and the perfect host, Amen’ (or Bon Appetit rather). This foodie’s holy trinity prayer can only be said after a truly spectacular meal and frankly, Luiz Hara’s (aka The London Foodie) supperclub evening with Bordeaux Wines was truly deserving of this level of praise."
By Blue Tomato

"...I've been lucky enough to eat at many of London's most hotly-anticipated new openings in the past few years and can honestly say that Luiz' food could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best of them.Thoughtfully presented and elegantly scented, his dishes were meticulously executed and full of flavour. Among the highlights was the opening plate of salmon sashimi served with an American twist in the form of wasabi infused soured cream, though the dish that will linger longingly in the mind is the Woody Allen-esque Deconstructing Sushi, formed of grilled scallops, Tobiko eggs, spicy sauce and sushi rice – a composition of such richness, creaminess and alluring beauty, I was tempted to steal my neighbour's shell and suck out the goodness..."
By Wine and the City

"...The Brazilian-born former investment banker swapped spreadsheets and risk for rice paper and a whisk three years ago. And now Le Cordon Bleu-trained Luiz’s supper clubs are notorious on the capital’s underground dining circuit..."
By Bordeaux.com

"...The ribeye was nothing short of spectacular - umami-rich, flavourful, properly seared and gloriously red in the middle. Side dishes were also a hit, particularly the fantastic sea bream dish which was served with the fish fillets op top of the rice and then mixed with ginger and spring onions and pulled apart with forks tableside by Luiz himself..."
By CookSister

"...The dish that delighted me the most was definitely “Ankimo” – sous-vide ballotine of foie de lotte, shredded daikon and ponzu dressing. I had wanted to try the foie de lotte while in France but sadly never got round to it so this was a great opportunity to try something new..."
By In Pursuit of Food

"...The London Foodie supperclub is rated one of the best in London, so of course I was very curious/excited to try it. The dinner blew my mind away! Every dish was a surprise, from the canapés (Seven Spices popcorn you can’t get enough of) to the starters (with the impressive “Deconstructing Sushi”) to the mains and accompaniments (where a simple Miso Soup can turn into your favourite dish of the night). And of course the dessert: a flourless rich chocolate cake perfectly paired with macha ice-cream..."
By MondoMulia

"...Guests sat in Luiz’s beautiful dining room surrounded by stunning wall art and cosy lighting. I assume that it was the combination of luxurious wines, a decadent menu, and Luiz’s charming home that encouraged such an impressive turn out..."
By Oh Crumbs

"...Luiz was lovely, and his house was warm and inviting - exactly what we needed coming in from a rainy, cold night. The thing I liked the most was actually having someone taking the time to explain what we were going to experience, the use of the ingredients, and to be able to give a really personal account of where the inspiration from the dishes came from..."
By Little Swallow China Doll

"...This was a fabulous menu cooked with precision and care and using only the best ingredients. Wines are BYO, and there was a recommended payment of £38 for the menu which I thought was great value considering the quality of the produce, the generosity of the portion sizes, the variety in the dishes and the calibre of the cooking which was of a professional standard. The setting was great too (you have to see LondonFoodie's house to really get a sense of how beautiful it is), not to mention the great company of the food-loving guests that were my companions that night. This meal was worth every penny. Highly recommended..."
By A Girl Has to Eat

"...But it was the dessert course that was the truly outstanding dish of the evening for me. With the aroma of freshly baked Madeleines teasing our senses and flooding throughout the kitchen, a trio of classic Japanese ice-cream flavours were unveiled: Black sesame, Green Tea and Yam… All home-made. All creamy and luscious. And all stonkingly good. The icing on the cake to a quite fabulous meal. On reflection, at any Japanese restaurant in town, the £35 donation would get you barely half of what we were treated to tonight. In true Asian fashion and as is customary, we had been ploughed with food and spoilt silly by our host..."

By The Boy Who Ate the World

Luiz is a fantastic cook, I have been to his house for dinners many times and he is over generous in everything that he does and you will always leave feeling spoilt for having a banquets fit for any King…
By Leluu

"...All in all it was a wonderful evening introducing me to some of the finest Japanese cooking that I’ve tasted in London, and sharing it with a fun and interesting group of people..."  (review 1) and (review 2)
By Hot & Chilli

"...Japanese comfort eating at it’s best, really good hearty food, that hit the spot..."

By Dolce Dini

"...Luiz’s food brought back the memories of all those heart warming meals I had in Japan. Not only had he showcased his culinary skills in the supper club, he also reminded us that Japanese cuisine is a lot more than sushi, tempura and gyoza."

By Feed the Tang

"...Luiz has now released a range of dates for more Japanese Home Cooking Supper Clubs. I highly recommend booking in...his house is most definitely one of London's best kept secrets."

By Kitchen Conversations

"...Supper clubs have been the rage for a while now and I don’t see them going out of fashion any time soon. They were the original trends before burgers and pop ups. The London Foodie’s Supper club is probably London’s most acclaimed with mentions in The Evening Standard and phenomenal reviews from the most hard to please food bloggers..."
By Messi Palate

"...I highly recommend this supperclub to people who want to go beyond the generic sushi bar experience and venture further into the weird and wonderful facets of Japanese cuisine."

By Hungry in London

"...It was easy to forget that this top restaurant quality meal was at someones's house. Luiz was a great host, very humble yet excited about the food being served. For me this food was the best experience and the most exciting aspect. Please check it out for yourself..."

By Caviar Girl

"...The entire evening was an amazing experience, with outstanding food made with passion you could taste. Luiz is an amazing chef, and I do encourage everyone to try out his supper club..."

By Blushing Bird Cages

"...Held in Islington in one of those enormous homes with the basement kitchen visible from the street, the London Foodie - aka Luiz Hara - used to be an investment banker but is now using the money he earnt to devote himself to something that he loves. This is the best reason I can think of for having been an investment banker and he's a charming host with it. Plus he's renovated his basement with the supper club in mind, which demonstrates unusual commitment and should give you some idea of the seriousness he brings to his project. He'll probably end up on the telly..."

By 24HourLondon

"...The suggested contribution for the meal of £38 were a snip for what we were offered on the night, in terms of sheer amount of food and the superb cooking. If you've only ever decided to go to one supperclub, make this the one to be. I will definite be returning in the near future for more of Luiz's delicious fare..."

By Feast to the World

The London Foodie Supper Club was featured on the GNT Channel by Olivier Anquier's Diario do Olivier. I spent a day with Olivier and his crew recording the two episodes at my home and supper club which you can see below. The programme was aired in Brazil and is in Portuguese.

Episode I
Episode II