About this Event
Japanese Fermentation & Wellbeing Salon: The Quiet Magic of Koji, Umami & Seasonal Vegetables.
This is not a conventional cooking class.
Join us for a small, quiet Japanese fermentation salon in London, where we explore how koji, umami, and seasonal vegetables can bring depth, balance, and calm to everyday food.
Many people know fermentation through sauerkraut, kimchi or kombucha. Koji is different: it is made with a beneficial cultivated mould that produces enzymes. These enzymes gently transform rice, beans and other ingredients, bringing out natural sweetness, umami, aroma and depth — the foundation of miso, soy sauce, sake and mirin.
You will taste several koji-based seasonings, enjoy a small seasonal plant-forward tasting menu, and learn how Japanese fermentation connects with flavour, digestion, wellbeing and the idea of ageing gracefully.
Led by Keiko Mizuno, a London-based Japanese food educator and neuroscience researcher, this salon brings together Japanese food culture, fermentation, seasonal vegetables and small everyday practices for wellbeing.🌿 Hosted at Wild IS Earth (Mezzanine).
This experience is designed for curious home cooks, food lovers, wellness-minded guests, and anyone interested in Japanese food culture beyond sushi and ramen.
What you’ll experience
You will:
- Learn the essentials of koji - what it is, how it works, and how to use it at home
- Taste a guided flight of four koji seasonings: Shio-koji (salt koji), Shoyu-koji (tamari koji), Onion-koji and Ama-koji (sweet Koji)
- Enjoy a seasonal plant-forward tasting menu of three small plates
- Learn simple everyday methods - dress, finish, marinate - to make vegetables taste deeply satisfying
- Make and take a mini jar of Shoyu-koji, an easy living seasoning to continue at home
- Receive a concise handout with uses, storage, troubleshooting notes and simple recipes
Menu note:
The tasting menu may vary slightly depending on seasonal produce and the venue set-up. The focus remains the same: plant-forward, refined, seasonal and deeply flavourful.
Your ticket includes
- Guided tasting and mini lecture
- Seasonal tasting menu of three small plates
- All ingredients and a small jar for your Shoyu-koji to take home
- Printed handout with practical notes and recipes
Event details
- Date & time: Thursday 28th May, 6:30–9:00pm
- Venue: Wild IS Earth (Mezzanine), 327 Kentish Town Road, London, NW5 2TJ
- Tickets: £90
- Seats: 6 seats
Allergies & dietary notes
This event includes soya and sesame. The menu may also include mushrooms.
Please contact us in advance for severe allergies.
Contact
Questions or dietary concerns: [email protected]
This is a one-off educational tasting & learning workshop focused on Japanese koji seasonings.
Refund policy (recommended): Tickets are non-refundable, but transferable. Age restriction (recommended): 18+
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Wild IS Earth, 327 Kentish Town Road, London, United Kingdom
GBP 98.22
