Shuko Oda

Shuko's culinary journey began as a small child when she had no interest in sweets or the usual children's snacks; she instead yearned for miso soup. Since her mother would not always prepare her the miso soup, Shuko began to prepare it herself. Unknowingly to her at the time, these small deeds rooted in her being that cooking was the most intimate way to express gratitude. After fulfilling her intellectual needs in a Masters degree in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths College, she experienced the retail world of Dover Street Market, then into the kitchen of Claska Hotel in Tokyo, learning the specifics of macrobiotic cuisine. After returning to London and joining the Koya team, Shuko was shipped off to Paris to roll her sleeves up and learn the hot, sweaty, down and dirty work of Udon making at Kunitoraya. Her formative years of travelling back and forth between London and Japan, allowed her to develop an inherited affection for Japanese cuisine. She is always intrigued by the multifaceted layers of life, and her Eastern upbringing lead to her appreciation for the soul's need to slow down and enjoy the deep nature of Japanese cuisine. With this in mind, honesty, care, quality and good taste, is something that Shuko had adhered to at Koya, and will now take with her to Koya Bar next door.