RICE RICE BABY

Sozai Cooking School

As a country girl born and bred I was definitely guilty of romanticising London and all that it had to offer. Since my move to London just over 6 months ago however, I quickly came to realise that although the nations capital, even London had its limitations. I found that working 9-5.30 5 days a week unsurprisingly limited both my energy to go on the hunt for and the accessibility of new and exciting activities. A mixture of being content with both my work and personal life and injecting all of my energy into my job often resulted in the same old routine. 

Dinner.Drinks.Cinema 

Dinner.Drinks.Cinema 

Dinner.Drinks.Cinema 

and so on and so on...

I felt like it was time for a change so this valentines day I suggested myself and my boyfriend forget the jewellery and roses and opt for something a little more, well, fun. After spending weeks searching the internet for interesting (and not bank braking) casual date nights that we could do on a weekday evening I came across Sozai Cooking School's site offering multiple different Sushi Classes. After flicking through their site I finally settled on the Dinner Party Sushi course.

Fast forward 1 month (Yes that's right Spring is fast approaching) and yesterday evening we headed into Soho to the class. Starting at 6.30 it was the perfect time for the both of us to leisurely make our way there after work. The class takes place in a building in Soho that doubles up as a canteen style Japanese during the day. With only 4 participants our Instructor, Akemi Yokoyama, and her sous chef, the environment was intimate without that sense of awkwardness you can sometimes feel with small parties. Akemi Yokoyama, our culinary instructor, is also a chef, presenter and writer who has orchestrated many gastronomic events in London and taught sushi making to both children and adults. Her friendly teaching style is easy to follow and informative, whilst still being fun and informal.

During the class we learnt the importance of good sushi rice and how to work with ingredients such as: prawns, egg, bean curd and smoked salmon to create a selection of classic Japanese dishes (see picture above). 

The class lasted just over 2 hours, with a refreshment break 1 hour in offering a choice of complimentary Japanese alcohol and soft drinks. On the conclusion of the course an informal Q&A session took place where we were given the opportunity to quiz Akemi on her knowledge of Japanese culture and where to find the best sushi in London spoiler alert it's not Yo Sushi. We left 2 hours later with a bag full of homemade sushi (that I'm currently finishing off whilst putting this post together) and a genuine understanding on the art of Sushi and Japanese cooking.

If you are looking for something a bit different to do in London, be that with a friend or a partner, Sozai Cooking School is the perfect option.

At £75.00 per person you'd be forgiven for hesitating but I personally really enjoyed this experience and I would 100% recommend. 

You can check them out here

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