SillaSild - humbly named after the majestic herring

I have been passionate about fish for as long as I can remember and my healthy addiction to Omega3 rich fish is only partially preordained by my Danish genes. While my mother was expecting me she craved pan fried herring with creamed spinach and even named me for her favorite dish: Sild, means herring in Danish. Growing up, a home cooked meal with a side of politics were served up every evening and my commitment to doing the right thing was sown and nurtured. 

I spent every summer by, in and on the sea. Three glorious weeks at my grandmother's house on Hasmark Beach eating classic Danish dishes made from scratch, picking strawberries, eating peas straight from the pod, endless baking and hours spent splashing about in the Danish surf. Then another two weeks sailing through the Danish isles with my father. We sought out the best fish at every mooring; our favorites were the small fishing inlets with their own smokehouse, mackerel and herring glistering in the evening sun. My Proustian food moment will forever remain the still warm fish on freshly baked rye bread spread with cold butter and topped with sliced onion.     

Despite coming from a family of foodies, I had no intention of becoming a chef; I was initially lured by the ivory towers of academia. I studied philosophy and literary criticism at the University of Copenhagen and then enrolled in a Masters Degree at Goldsmiths College. To support myself, I became a Smorresbrod Jomfru (Danish open sandwich maker) at the boutique sushi bar Nippon Tuk. The sushi proved more popular than the sandwiches so I too turned my attention to rice preparation, fish cutting and sushi making. The fire of my passion and curiosity was lit. I traveled regularly to Tokyo and beyond to hone my skills, witnessing the global transition of sushi from an exclusive eat for the AB1 internationals to a broader appeal for mere mortals. I created a sushi service for pioneering Birley’s Sandwiches in Canary Wharf and then in 1999, after 4 years of strict discipline balanced by creative experimentation, I co-founded Feng Sushi.     

We opened first branch in Chelsea in 1999 wanting to create the first sushi delivery service in the UK and at the same time focus on being an environmentally sound operation. Health, nutrition, seasonality and tasty food were at the core of the business from the outset, from bio-degradable packaging, recycled oil and a strong emphasis on provenance and sustainability of fish, vegetables and Japanese ingredients. I spent the fist 8 years developing the menu, training a brigade of eager chefs, focusing on kitchen operations and the people piece whilst we grew the business from 1 to 6 outlets.  Thereafter, I took the helm for another 8 years focusing on opening more sites and joining the digital revolution within food tech field. Since Feng Sushi I have headed up Genji in the UK and relaunched the flagship restaurant Sushi and Robata at Whole Food Market to critical acclaim. I have launched Sushi Daily’s first venture into the high street with Sushi Daily Grab and Go concept in New Oxford Street 2018 creating the base for the Sushi Daily global rebrand.  

I feel passionately about teaching cookery and chef skills, possibly a holdover from my academic aspirations. I have been hugely gratified and inspired by teaching, sharing knowledge and mentoring our chefs.  Very early, my teaching extended beyond the Feng Sushi kitchen to teach our customers as well as at prominent schools across the capital and beyond like Divertimenti, Borough Kitchen, Leith’s, Billingsgate Seafood School and Hahnemann’s Kitchen.

As my love for Japanese cuisine has evolved so has my interest in ensuring a sustainable food supply for generations to come. It is a complex issue with no easy answers. Over the years I have worked closely with various fishing organizations and NGOs who have these goals in common, albeit representing the myriad of different interests involved. At times the overlapping or opposing viewpoints have given rise to more confusion than resolution, more arguments than positive action. I believe we can fish and farm sustainably but need to look after the sea and its habitants far better than we have over the last century. I have included a guide to buying fish based on my experience navigation of the complex waters under the Sustainability section on this website.

My core mantra remains never forget food businesses run on tight margins, but the best and most successful are without a doubt those who put quality before net profit; fantastic food is the headline act and from here everything else will evolve. I am blessed to be a chef and I believe my small contribution is to put delicious, healthy, well-sourced food in front of hungry folks, to inspire, to educate and to share.….

Prices and accolades:  City of London prize for Sustainability (2012), The Sustainable Restaurant Association Innovation Awards (2013) and in 2015 the MSC Award for Chef of the Year. Publications of Cook Books: Simple Japanese (2004) and Robata – Japanese Home Grilling (2018). Pop Ups and Events highlights James Beard Foundation New York, Oxford Food Symposium, Robata Pop Up with Japan Society and Peponi Hotel in Lamu. I am a founding member of the The Cookbook Festival, a female foodie lead charity supporting established and new cookbook authors.