A London supper club is flipping the usual restaurant format by putting its chefs behind the decks. Cooking on Decks, founded by chef and DJ Mark Roberts, runs sessions at various spots across the city where music and food are treated as one experience rather than separate courses.
The premise is simple but unusual: instead of a DJ playing while the kitchen works invisibly in the background, the person cooking in front of guests is the one spinning the tunes. Guests gather around the kitchen, watch the dishes come together, eat, and then the meal slides into a full-on party as the sets continue past dessert.
The menus change with each event, drawing on flavours and ingredients suited to the vibe of the night, and tickets are sold per session rather than as a standing reservation. Capacity is deliberately small, so everyone is close enough to chat with the chef and feel part of the night rather than an audience at a show. Sessions typically unfold over a few hours, dinner first, dancing after.
For travellers, it is a way to meet locals and eat well without the stiffness of a formal restaurant, and the supper club format also tends to undercut the price of a chef's table at a big-name venue. If you are visiting London and your ideal night is good food with a soundtrack and a room of people who actually talk to each other, this is a strong pick. Book ahead, as dates sell out quickly and locations are only confirmed to ticket holders.
