How to Start a Supper Club

The alternative way of eating out is having a renaissance

Supper clubs first really took off in London in the mid-to-late noughties, when it all felt very lo-fi and DIY with people hosting dinners in their own homes, and though they’ve been around ever since, we seem to be riding a fresh wave of supper club action post-pandemic. Not only did the pandemic cause many people to reassess their careers and push their side hustles centre stage, but with the financial outlays involved in running a brick-and-mortar space spiralling to scary heights, it’s no wonder these lower-risk operations are more appealing.

The beauty of a supper club is that there really are no rules – events can be themed, tables can be communal, food can be served family-style, pretty much anything goes – but they generally offer the hosts the opportunity the chance to refine their food and develop their brand and give the guests the chance to eat food they probably can’t get in a restaurant in a much more informal environment.

We spoke to three London supper clubbers to find out what kind of food they cook, why they do it, and their top tips for anyone thinking about starting a supper club of their own.

Dow Panyawong | Ginn Khao

Give us some background – what’s your supper club called, where do you host it, and what kind of food do you serve? 

I run a supper club called Ginn Khao, which now exists as a pop-up and is involved in various food and art-related projects. The primary focus of Ginn Khao is the exploration and sharing of Thai cuisine, with particular emphasis on Northern Thai flavours with the use of locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Ginn Khao first started at Highbury Arts Club, where I served a set menu for one night. It became more of a regular occurrence in the following two months when I was playing around with some ideas and even collaborated with a local wine store Yield to pair the menu with their wines. I then began renting out spots in East/North London and later took over cafes and wine bars for an evening or two. 

Now, two and a half years later, Ginn Khao runs every month at various locations, so there’s no set place, which is the beauty of it! We just finished a four-day pop-up at The Plough, and look forward to starting a monthly residency there in the coming year. 

Why did you want to start a supper club? 

I’m from lower north Thailand and have family in Nan and Chiang Mai, so my main reason for wanting to start my own supper club was to showcase northern Thai dishes and ones from my family. There’s a lot of regional food in Thailand and a bunch of recipes that my grandparents and mother have taught me. A lot of the time, Thai food is to do with your own personal taste, which is what I like about it. There’s no written recipe; you tend to remember from tasting. As a kid, I was always made to taste everything to check if it was salty, sweet, or sour enough. So, in that sense, when people come to eat my food, they come to try my version and my spin on whatever they may or may not have tried before. 

Before I started working as a freelance graphic designer, I worked in kitchens, so a part of me also misses that now and again. The Ginn Khao project has allowed me to fulfil my desire to be in the kitchen again, while I also get to work those design muscles again. The identity of Ginn Khao is a collaboration with an illustrator and my good friend, Aga Giecko, with whom I’ve enjoyed working these past few years. Our creative ideas align quite nicely, and I believe that’s also due to our similar sense of humour. My favourite creation of hers is the Ampelmännchen (Germany’s pedestrian crossing symbol) depicted as a pretzel, featured in the last Berlin pop-up poster. I think that’s probably my favourite icon of Germany.

What have been the challenges and highlights you’ve experienced since starting your supper club? 

Dealing with constant back pain, my inability to drive, and relying on taxis and bike transportation. I remember when I first started at the venue in Hoxton, I used to cycle down to Smithfield in the early hours of the morning to pick up kilos of meat in freezer bags! However, I did enjoy having a cup of tea with the blood-stained aproned butchers at the café before heading in with my shopping list. This, of course, became less of a novelty as time went on. For me, the main highlight is meeting new people, connecting with the city in a new way, and, of course, immersing myself in and being a part of London’s rich and diverse Southeast Asian community. 

What would be your top tips for someone wanting to start their own supper clubs? 

Have fun with it, stay open, food safety first! And be ready to make a lot of mistakes. I still make a tonne, even after doing it for a while. I’ve met so many great people on this journey, and it’s been nice to be able to support each other and create spaces where no one’s trying to have one up on each other. Food is fun and exciting. Just remember to be kind to each other.

Sophie Mann | Mann’s Got Munch

Give us some background – what’s your supper club called, where do you host it, and what kind of food do you serve? 

I have run various supper clubs across London under Mann’s Got Munch, including my female-only club called Hungry Bitches and my most recent collab with my girlie Jodie Nixon called Mixed Feedings, which we are aiming to run every few months. The food served is playful and has big flavours. I don’t like to pigeonhole myself into cuisines, I just make food I love to eat and want people to enjoy, that’s the reason I do it! Not only do I serve food but vibes are top tier. There is always some kind of entertainment, whether it be music, a quiz or bingo, as this is just a wicked way to get people interacting with each other. 

Why did you want to start a supper club? 

I’m a big feeder and was always the hostess with the mostess amongst friends, so I went from feeding 20 of my mates at dinner parties to being like “I can do this for strangers!”. I get so much joy from seeing people eating and enjoying my food.. there’s no better feeling. I feel like food always brings people together and to be able to do that with a room full of strangers is something pretty special. I owe a lot to my mates and partner for encouraging me to make it a proper side hustle. 

What have been the challenges and highlights you’ve experienced since starting your supper club? 

Shifting the tickets is always the most nervy part, you’re never quite sure how people are going to respond to your menu. You just have to keep plugging… and not be fazed by sell-out culture. I don’t care how long it takes to shift them, as long as it’s 80% I’m happy! Highlights are most definitely the people I have met along the way, through collabs with other chefs and the people that come to my supper clubs. 

What would be your top tips for someone wanting to start their own supper clubs? 

Don’t overthink it! When you’re first starting out go small, like 15-20 people, to ease yourself in. Don’t underestimate the amount of work that goes into these; you need a prep day the day before, prep the same day, and likely a clean-up the following day, not to mention the extra days of prep when testing your menu and ordering ingredients. Always rope in your mates when you’re starting out they want to help you and, trust me, you need hands on deck. In terms of advertising, hit up your local paper, Instagram and Facebook groups, I used @balhamnewsie on Instagram which is an independent digital news and events page for my area – every town/city will have one. And if you’re ever wanting some advice feel free to give me a shout on Insta!

Lillian Luk | Shanghai Supper Club

Give us some background – what’s your supper club called, where do you host it, and what kind of food do you serve? 

My supper club is called Shanghai Supper Club. The name says it all, I serve home cooking and street food from the Shanghai region of China. Currently, I host our dinners at The Royal Oak pub on York Street in Marylebone. 

Why did you want to start a supper club? 

I was always interested in food and hosting friends for dinner parties. About nine years ago I decided to open up my dinner parties to paying guests and see if I can attract people to come and try Shanghainese food. I want to use my supper club to raise the profile of Shanghainese cooking and introduce people to dishes and flavours that were not available back then in London restaurants. 

What would be your top tips for someone wanting to start their own supper clubs? 

If you are thinking about hosting your own supper club, I would say, don’t quit your day job yet, get a few practice runs under your belt first to see if those showing interest are indeed paying up and showing up. It’s really hard to acquire customers whether from IG or those event listing websites. So you have to lean into your personal network hard at the start to fill seats and get the word out. Running a successful event is so much more than cooking delicious food. Really think through all the logistics, plan ahead, and have contingencies for when things go wrong. I find a good operation is just as important as good food. 

Photo credits: James Moyle and Priscilla Lee

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