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.
Japanese & Nikkei Supper Club
If you are interested in learning more about Japanese cuisine, beyond sushi and sashimi, and would like to attend one of the Japanese & Nikkei Home Cooking Supper Club events I run, contact me on luizharaAThotmailDOTcom as follows:
1. Email Subject Line: JAPANESE SUPPER CLUB + EVENT DATE (1st Choice)
2. Dates: give me 2-3 date options (in case your preferred date is fully booked)
3. Number of seats required: number of total seats required
4. Names & email addresses of all guests in your party
5. A mobile number for the lead person in the group
Location: my home, Islington, N1 3DW, from 18:30 hours
Cost: £50 + service, BYO
Japanese & Nikkei Cookery Classes
If you would like to learn how to cook some of the dishes I serve at my supper club, I host Japanese & Nikkei cookery classes for up to 8 attendees per class at my home in Islington. I will be demonstrating a Japanese set-menu of 5 favourite dishes from my supper club.
I will provide detailed written recipes 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.
Location: my home, Islington, N1 3DW, from 11am to 3-4pm or 6:30pm to 10:30pm
Cost: £125, BYO (water and green tea provided free of charge).
The Ins & Outs of Supper Club Dining
If you have not yet attended a supper club, or even if you have, I STRONGLY recommend reading this feature on the Ins & Outs of Supper Club Dining - http://www.thelondonfoodie.co.uk/2015/07/the-ins-outs-of-supper-club-dining.html
If you would like to be informed of future dates, send me an e-mail to luizharaAThotmailDOTcom, and I will add you on to my supper club mailing list.
As supper clubs go, Luiz Hara’s Japanese Supper Club is considered one of the most notorious within London’s underground food scene. The Brazilian born half Japanese ex-investment banker aka The London Foodie, introduces a culinary experience like no other and showcases that the possibilities of Japanese home-style cooking are truly infinite.
By Food Porn Nation
"...Take a man with a passion for washoku (Japanese cooking), travel, and wine. Add to this far-reaching culinary influences courtesy of Japanese and Italian parents. Consider the fact that he was born and raised in São Paulo and has lived in London for the past 20 years. Throw in a diploma from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, shake up with a swish Islington pad and you have the memorable evening that is Luiz Hara’s Japanese supper club. Think duck eggs slow cooked in a sous vide, lumpfish caviar with spaghetti, and show-stopping seafood table-top hotpots. The ultimate high-end dining experience in someone’s home..."
"...To say I would recommend attending would be an understatement - it’s an essential visit for anyone seeking out great food for outstanding value and who wouldn’t say no to a wonderful evening out..."
By The Cutlery Chronicles
& The Local Guardian
"...As you can see, this was an epic feast. Every course was absolutely superb and I am sure you’ll agree that the suggested donation of £38 (plus service at your discretion) is an excellent deal. It’s also BYOB (no corkage), so you can bring whatever you like, whether that’s wine, beer or something soft.
Oh and be prepared to be sociable, this is an informal supper club in a private home and guests are seated together at long communal tables. I had a lovely evening talking about food, travel and all kinds of random topics with the two lovely ladies at my end of the table..."
By Kavey Eats
"‘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..."
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