Top 10 UK Food Blogs of 2013 by Cision

I was thrilled to learn that The London Foodie was listed among the Top 10 UK Food Blogs of 2013 by Cision. The full list can be seen here.

I was also interviewed by Cision for their Speedy Spotlight column where I talked about positive writing, working with contributors, and some very large egos. If you would like to find out more, click here.

Blowing My Own Trumpet

I am thrilled to learn that The London Foodie has been listed as one of the Best 50 Food Websites by Sophie Morris for The Independent last Friday. You can see Sophie's article here.

I would like to thank the other contributors to the site - Simeen Kadi, Felicity Spector, Su-Lin Ong and Marina Benjamin who have been helping me a great deal to make The London Foodie an up-to-date source of interesting food and travel reads. More about these contributors in the "About Me" page.

I have also been asked to be the resident food-writer for Heathrow Express and will be writing a series of articles named "London Life - Food by Luiz Hara" which will include my London foodie recommendations in the months to come.

For my June/July suggestions, check the Heathrow Express website here.

The London Foodie Supper Club - Japanese Home Cooking - Reviewed by The Evening Standard

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 cuisine.

Cod & Seafood Nabe with Soya Milk and White Miso Broth - Image by Catriona Mills

Since leaving investment banking in 2011, I moved to Tokyo for a couple of months 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 in early 2012 to start the Grand Diplome at Le Cordon Bleu and the Japanese Home Cooking Supper Club which I now run from my home in Islington.

Image by Catriona Mills

The supper club has recently been reviewed by The Evening Standard, you can read the full review here.

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, take a look at The London Foodie Supper Club page for forthcoming dates or contact me on luizharaAThotmailDOTcom using the subject line JAPANESE SUPPER CLUB.

Image by Catriona Mills

"There's No Taste Like Home" - ITV's New Cookery Show

Are you a talented home cook with a historic family recipe?

If so, ITV’s Celebrity Chef Gino D’Acampo

wants to hear from YOU!

Gino D’Acampo is on a mission to prove that “There’s No Taste Like Home”.  He’s on the hunt for home cooks with undiscovered family recipes, good, honest family food. If you’ve got a fantastic recipe that’s been passed down through your family for generations, family favourites that have been enjoyed for decades, then Gino wants to hear from you.

"There’s No Taste Like Home", ITV’s new cookery show will give talented home cooks the chance to show their own family recipes in a local restaurant.

If you think your dish has what it takes, please email ITV Studios at:

notastelikehome@itv.com or call 090 11 11 33 77

Britain’s Greatest Gourmet

Britain’s Greatest Gourmet

Britain’s Greatest Gourmet is a new competition which sets out to find the country’s top foodie.

Could this be you?

Do you know when certain foods are in season?

Or where bouillabaisse originates from?

Can you identify a shucking knife from other knives?

The BBC is looking for enthusiastic contestants for various dates up to and including 16th February to take part in run-throughs at BBC Television Centre in London. These would not be broadcast, but if they are a success we are hoping to make a series for BBC 2. The BBC would pay you £50 for the day and need you for a maximum of four hours.

For more information and an application form contact:

Sarah Collins on sarah.collins2@bbc.co.uk or 0208 576 774

The London Cooking Club Goes to Brazil!

Revista Gula, Brazil's most popular gastronomic magazine, sent Fernanda Meneguetti to participate at one of our London Cooking Club events in Oct 2010 "Thai by David Thompson".

Fernanda wrote a two-page article about it which was featured in the magazine's 2010 Christmas edition - Sociedade Gastronomica: "Cooking Club is new gastronomic sensation in London, thanks to a Brazilian who opens his house and kitchen to readers of his blog".

Many thanks to Fernanda and Revista Gula for the amazing article and to everyone who participated in the London Cooking Club's Thai event and helped to make it such a special evening.

A Sneaky Preview of Top 20 London Blogs

London Blogs - A New Blog Category by Wikio

As you may know, Wikio publishes Top Blog Rankings every month on various categories including Gastronomy, Politics, Sports, to name just a few. These rankings are compiled by taking into account the number and weight of incoming links from other blogs or articles. In other words, the ranking position will depend on how well "linked" up a particular blog is within a certain category.

Wikio is now launching a new London Category which will include blogs that reflect the many facets of London Life - culture, haunts, clubs, eateries and more. As with other categories, this aims to create a community that will be the home for similarly themed blogs (including The London Foodie) and a great place to discover some exciting news about the Capital.

I was asked to present you with a sneaky peek at the very first ranking for the Top 20 London Blogs (November 2010), and surprised to find The London Foodie listed. Thanks Wikio!

A full listing will be published on Wikio this coming Friday.

1	dezeen
2	IanVisits
3	Going Underground's Blog
4	853
5	MayorWatch
6	Brockley Central
7	diamind geezer
8	London Reconnections
9	Spitalfields Life
10	Transpontine
11	LondonNet -
12	HOOKED
13	Tired of London, Tired of Life
14	The Blackheath Bugle
15	Londonist
16	The London Foodie
17	The Great Wen
18	The Greenwich Phantom
19	Baroque in Hackney
20	Visit London Blog

London

Ranking made by Wikio

Brazilian TV Interview - A Gastronomia de Londres

TV Record - "Passaporte Hoje em Dia"

I was interviewed by Cris Flores, presenter of "Passaporte Hoje em Dia" of the Brazilian channel "TV Record" in London, and had the pleasure of introducing her to one of my favourite London Supper Clubs - Fernandez and Leluu.

The feature was called "A Gastronomia de Londres" and was organised by Mitsi Goulias, the PR manager for Visit Britain in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Despite being incredibly nervous, it was a lot of fun meeting Cris - we filmed for about 6 hours for a 9-minute feature, and I was amazed to see how natural and engaging Cris was even when we had to repeat the same scene 3 or 4 times.

The programme was aired in Brazil in October 10 and you can watch it below in Portuguese.

Many thanks to Mitsi of Visit Britain, Cris and her fun crew, and to Uyen and Simon for the wonderful food, and for being the perfect hosts as always.

Blowing My Own Trumpet: The London Foodie Goes Global!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Natalie Ragus, a delightful Associated Press journalist who asked me to help her write a piece on the London underground food scene. I took her to a few London supper clubs and helped her with the story. Luckily it also coincided with our own Ottolenghi inspired London Cooking Club evening (run from our home in Islington) last Saturday when the AP photographer (Alistair Grant) joined us to take some pictures.

The piece was sold this weekend to dozens of American, Canadian and Asian news sites and other publications and whenever I google The London Foodie Supper Clubs (or Natalie Ragus + supper clubs), I get more and more new sites that are picking up on the AP story.

Needless to say I am over the moon, so I decided to blow my own trumpet and share the story with you!

Luiz @ The London Foodie

These are some of the links:

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1332423&lang=eng_news&cate_img=1037.jpg&cate_rss=General

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38429693/ns/travel-destination_travel/

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38429484/ns/today-foodwine

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory?id=11259097

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-07-28-london-supper-clubs_N.htm?csp=34travel&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodayTravel-Destinations+(Travel+-+Destinations+-+Top+Stories)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sns-ap-eu-travel-trip-londons-supper-clubs,0,2273605.story

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/07/28/london-undergroundof-food/#

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20100727/ap_tr_ge/eu_travel_trip_london_s_supper_clubs

http://newshopper.sulekha.com/luiz-hara-travel-trip-london-supper-clubs_photo_1441423.htm

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100727/utravel/eu_travel_trip_london_s_supper_clubs

http://www.edgeseattle.com/index.php?ch=travel&sc=&sc2=&sc3=&id=108451

http://www.newstimes.com/default/article/London-takes-its-food-scene-underground-592134.php

http://www.newstimes.com/default/photo/Guests-enjoy-a-supper-club-gathering-at-the-home-269582.php

http://www.newstimes.com/default/photo/Luiz-Hara-of-The-London-Foodie-prepares-for-a-269581.php

http://ct-post.ru/news/article/London-takes-its-food-scene-underground-592134.php

http://www.thetelegram.com/Canada---World/Arts/2010-07-27/article-1621861/London-takes-food-scene-underground-in-supper-clubs-where-strangers-can-mingle/1

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/jul/27/london-takes-its-food-scene-underground/

http://www.journalpioneer.com/Canada---World/Society/2010-07-27/article-1621882/London-takes-food-scene-underground-in-supper-clubs-where-strangers-can-mingle/1

http://www.dariennewsonline.com/default/article/London-takes-its-food-scene-underground-592134.php

http://oneclick.indiatimes.com/article/00LqcCk0aReJs?q=London

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/London+takes+its+food+scene+underground-a01612285459

http://www.daylife.com/article/0f5ifNF3EsdlP?q=luiz+hara

http://www.newsonjapan.com/rss/travel/msn-travel.php

http://green.yell.com/article/04gt91g93tcVi?q=London

http://www.ajc.com/travel/london-takes-its-food-579328.html

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=travel&sc=&sc2=&sc3=&id=108451

http://www.edgeonthenet.com/index.php?ch=travel&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=108451

http://travel.sympatico.ca/travelnews/london_takes_food_scene_underground_in_supper_clubs_where_strangers_can_mingle/09263cd7

http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/content/view/213976/126/

http://www.eventpub.com/CP_stories.php?id=282957

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_travel.php?id=282957

http://wvgazette.com/ap/ApInternational/201007270244

http://origin.newstimes.com/news/article/London-takes-its-food-scene-underground-592134.php

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ivrztDyAduTeJU-wIQ4ZQscHibdA

http://www.timesunion.com/living/slideshow/Living-Travel-photos-from-around-the-world-987.php

http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/London-takes-its-food-scene-underground-592134.php

http://www.poten.com/NewsDetails.aspx?id=10545122

http://www.thelighthousenews.com/photos/2010/jul/27/102699/

Little London Observationist - Interview by Stephanie Sadler

I was asked to collaborate in the Little London Observationist's "Listen to a Londoner" series this week. Stephanie Sadler's blog has been a constant source of inspiration for me, and her writing is also a great joy to read.

You can read the interview by clicking the link: here.

Luiz @ The London Foodie