Japanese Shojin Ryori in London – and 20% off!

Amazingly, it’s exactly a year since my amazing holiday to Japan – in fact today was our final day in Kyoto. Coincidentally, I just got an email from Atsuko, whose fantastic Japanese cooking course I attended earlier this year, to let me know about a week-long foody event she’s helping to organise.

It’s a celebration of shojin ryori cuisine, the vegetarian Buddhist diet of Japan that’s become a fine-dining experience in its own right. Focusing on health, balance and nourishment, this is special cooking – I had my own experience of it at Mikoan in Kyoto this very day last year and it was one of the best meals I’ve eaten.

The week-long schedule starting on November 15th comprises a free cooking demonstration on Monday, cooking classes on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday – each focusing on a different area of nourishment – and a shojin ryori feast on Thursday, cooked by celebrated Japanese chef/author (and Atsuko’s own mentor) Mari Fuji. Check out the menu here, and see the full schedule of events here. It’s all being held at the lovely Grocery in Dalston. I can’t recommend taking a cooking class highly enough; once you’ve learnt the basic skills you can cook so many dishes at home.