How did the opportunity to create the café at V&A East come about? It’s quite a different setting from a standalone restaurant, did that shift how you approached things?
We were approached as part of a public tender along with several other restaurants and had to pitch. More than that I feel we manifested it. We had been talking quite a lot about how dining in public institutions which are very international spaces, doesn’t always reflect the people who visit or work there, and then suddenly - the opportunity knocked at our door. We had to work collaboratively alongside the V&A, the architects and of course the community who live in Stratford to deliver something that felt meaningful to the diverse East London community.
Jikoni has always been about storytelling through food. How have you translated that into a museum context, where people might just be dropping in between exhibitions?
We have always told stories by cooking across borders and at Jikoni people experience that over a long lingering meal. At Cafe Jikoni we still continue to cook across borders and our guests can still experience that over a long lingering meal, but equally they will taste it in our playful cakes, or our special no borders blend coffee, or our teas that are sourced from small gardens around the world. The space also tells stories, referencing nostalgic wood & stone tones from our childhoods, or there are photographs we commissioned of local maternal cooks that celebrate communities of women in the neighbourhood.
The menu draws on such a mix of cultural influences. How did you go about shaping something that reflects both Jikoni’s identity and the energy of East London?
We have really tried to speak to the depth & breadth of the communities who live & work in East London and have history in the area. We wanted to present flavours that felt familiar to people like us, for whom home is everywhere & nowhere all at once. What that means is dishes that feel familiar, but have a pop of surprise - traditional pies filled with North African inspired chicken. Iced buns flavoured with yuzu & Pandan, dhals, curries & khichadees that riff on flavours from across Asia & the Middle East.
What kind of atmosphere were you hoping to create in the café? Was it important that it feels like a destination in its own right?
We wanted to create something that felt that it belonged to the local community, one that said you are all welcome, but of course the Jikoni DNA of genial hospitality & maternal cooking is threaded through meaning guests are drawn to us whether they are visiting the museum or not.
How do you hope the space will evolve in the future?
We hope it will continue to be a space that encourages a sense of community & that becomes a medium for conversations that bring people together over great food and drink.
Food Photography : Becca Jones
Cafe Images : Rahil Ahmad
