Joe spent thirteen years in banking before he left to cook. It was Christine, his wife and co-founder, who told him to go, and her father who settled it with one sentence about happiness. Now they run SHOKUDŌ, a Japanese comfort food business built on a deliberately small menu, an ox tongue from a Hong Kong restaurant that no longer exists, and a rule about wasting nothing.

Chef Yu spent nine years perfecting a beef noodle recipe that fuses French red wine braising with Taiwanese technique. Now he's in Paddington, filling a gap he spotted in London's Taiwanese food scene.

The UK's biggest Japanese culture festival is back at Olympia London from 24 to 26 July 2026. Over 530 exhibitors, headliners QUEEN BEE and avantgardey, Japanese street food from wagyu skewers to mochi, cosplay, workshops, and a brand-new indie gaming zone. Here's everything you need to know.