The evening begins with a glass of bubbles before settling in for an intimate Chefs Table experience with one of Edinburgh’s most established names in Japanese cuisine.
Harajuku Kitchen started life as a Japanese street food stall, serving gyoza dumplings and udon noodle stir fries at Stockbridge Market, before opening its restaurant in 2013. Since then, it has grown into an award-winning restaurant known for serving authentic Japanese cuisine, with its food inspired by traditional recipes, regional specialities and generations of family cooking. The restaurant has also been awarded an AA Rosette since 2018, alongside recognition from the Scottish Food & Drink Awards, The Scotsman Food Awards and the Golden Chopsticks.
For this special evening, the Harajuku Kitchen team will bring their approach to Japanese cooking into the EFDA kitchen, preparing the dishes live in front of you and sharing the processes, techniques and stories behind the creations as you dine.
Meet Harajuku Kitchen
Harajuku Kitchen was founded by Japanese entrepreneur and chef Kaori Simpson, who grew up in Hong Kong in an expat Japanese family and spent her childhood helping in her mother’s restaurants. Her family’s connection to Japanese food and hospitality stretches back generations, including her maternal great-grandfather, who established a traditional fine-dining Japanese restaurant in Fukuoka during the Meiji era.
Today, Harajuku Kitchen continues to champion authentic Japanese cuisine in Scotland, with Executive Chef Kaori drawing inspiration from her annual trips to Japan alongside family recipes passed down through generations. Head Chef Nobuo Sasaki is a second-generation sushi chef from Chiba, Japan, bringing his own expertise to the kitchen and sharing Harajuku Kitchen’s passion for authentic Japanese cooking.
With a carefully curated menu, live cooking and just 24 places around the table, this is an opportunity to experience Harajuku Kitchen in a way you won’t find on an ordinary restaurant visit – a relaxed, immersive evening centred around exceptional Japanese food, the people who create it and the stories behind it.
The Evening’s Menu:
First Course
Crispy wonton with spicy tuna tartare, avocado, sesame
Chawanmushi (Steamed savoury egg custard with prawns, shiitake, chicken, peas and kamaboko fish)
Second Course
Hand-dived scallops with kimo katsu
Nigiri – langoustine, lemon sole, shime saba mackerel
Third Course
Miso-glazed black cod
Spinach ohitashi (goma dare)
Sides
Miso soup
Yuzu pickles from seasonal vegetables
Dessert
A selection of mochi and Japanese sweet azuki
Optional Add-On: Cold sake in a flute
You will get a glass of fizz upon arrival, with bar drinks and wines available on the night.
Please let us know of any dietary requirements, allergies or special accommodations required at the time of booking. We will be as flexible as possible, when we can, so as to be inclusive to all students but we may not be able to substitute ingredients in the recipes.
We do everything we can to reduce the risk of cross contamination, however we cannot guarantee a completely allergen free environment and therefore our kitchens may be unsuitable for students with severe or life-threatening allergies.
*Please note this list is not exhaustive.
Our one-day workshops and short courses are 16+ unless otherwise specified. Children aged 14 or 15 may attend with an adult over 18.
“The cook school put me in touch with Castle Terrace, a good portion of my career was spent there… it’s great the connections you can make on the back of a course at the cook school.”
“The cookery school gave me the skills, knowledge and confidence to be able to see it through and make a living out of doing something I’ve always loved”
“…what really stood out to me was its reputation for high-level training in a supportive environment… The technical knowledge, attention to detail, and efficiency I have learned have all shaped how I think about food, whether I’m cooking myself or talking about it in my work.”
We understand the significance of this decision, and are always happy to arrange a call or tour with our Head Teacher for anyone with interest in our Professional Course Programme.
