Vegetarian Brown Girls is one of many South Asian supper clubs gaining popularity in the UK. Speaking to The Mirror, the club’s co-founder, Priya Bowry, discusses the rising trend and what it signals.
If you’re lucky enough to visit this culinary hotspot in north London, be sure to leave your shoes at the door. Because the Vegetarian Brown Girls supper club is as much about celebrating Gujarati food as it is about embracing Indian traditions and customs.
The renaissance of supper clubs has been well-documented over the last two years, as Brits increasingly crave community and authenticity. But South Asian chefs and home cooks have long been pioneers in the space – armed with priceless family recipes and an eagerness to expand the UK’s perception of South Asian cuisine.
Vegetarian Brown Girls is a relative newcomer to London’s supper club scene, run by the mother-daughter duo Sudha Thanki, 66, and Priya Bowry, 37. Despite their supper club being less than two-years old, the duo have earned a sterling reputation.
The six-person supper club they host from their North London home continues to sell out, and they’ve been tapped by Mildred’s, The Hoxton and even the British Museum for impressive partnerships.
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The rise of South Asian supper clubs
Speaking to The Mirror, Priya names fellow Gujarati supper club, Khao Suppers, as a source of early inspiration but says the community has blossomed. “I’m part of a supper club WhatsApp group and when we first started there were 11 people in this group. Now I think the group [has] 270 people and every third person who joins is an Asian supper club host.
“It really is growing and Punam from Khao Suppers and Sohini from Smoke and Lime [who] have been doing it for 10 years are still finding their tables are sold out.”
It is the low barrier to entry that makes these events increasingly prevalent. “You need to be able to cook a good dinner, and many South Asian people know their recipes from their parents and they can host in their home.”
More than tikka masala
Supper clubs give Brits a chance to try less mainstream dishes, which is part of their appeal. “You eat so much regional food that you would never have tried in a restaurant. And we get that feedback a lot,” says Priya. Kadhi – a sweet and tangy yogurt-based dish – is one such dish. “People come and say ‘I can’t imagine that I would have ever tried this at any restaurant if it was on the menu’.”
Part of embracing the food is embracing the traditional way of eating it: so guests are encouraged to eat with their hands. Priya says most people are good sports and its allowed her to reconcile with past insecurities.
“I’ve gone through this huge journey with my own heritage,” she says. “Growing up and even until after my university years, I would naturally use my knife and fork because I didn’t want to be ridiculed. You don’t even really think about [it] but it sits in the back of your head.” Now, she’s determined to share her culture.
Priya also credits restaurants like Dishoom, Hoppers, BiBi and The Tamil Prince for helping grow Brits’ lexicon of South Asian cuisine and dining, though she agrees there’s still a ways to go, especially outside the capital. She says the love for the cuisine “doesn’t always translate” to an appreciation or respect for the culture.
“There’s so much of our stuff as Indians that gets embraced but we get erased along the way. I find it really difficult to comprehend.”
What makes a true supper club?
“I think some of the ones that are just in restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon of being a supper club. They’re not honouring anything there. But if you’re an artist or, even if you’re a brand and you’re bringing in a supper club to host, I think that’s fabulous because people are really craving authenticity.”
She says part of what makes Vegetarian Brown Girls such a hit is her co-founder and mom, Sudha. “People love talking to my mom about her story because she came over from Uganda via India, but mostly grew up in England. So, she has that story of many, immigrants.
“When we get our older guests they’re really interested in her history because some of them came over Kenya or India [themselves] and the younger guests see their parents in my mom’s story.”
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‘People want to eat with purpose’
South Asian supper clubs are also finally giving women the recognition they deserve. “Food is political. It’s amazing that all the women have done this unpaid labour all their lives,” says Priya. “The market is so male dominated in cooking but when you look at supper club hosts in South Asian cooking, it’s mostly females and they’re getting paid to do it. So there’s this real empowerment piece to it.”
Part of this empowerment comes from community. Vegetarian Brown Girls will soon be hosting a Diwali dinner with numerous supper clubs hosts and chefs to raise money for Gaza. The event sold out in a day and a half because, according to Priya, “people really want to stand in solidarity and eat with purpose.”
She concludes: “Hopefully my storytelling and these collaborations are enough to get people talking about supper clubs and Indian food.”
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