“The Ottolenghi of Japanese Food”

Chef Kaori Simpson is on a mission to make Japanese food as vibrant, vegetable‑forward and joyfully accessible as Ottolenghi made Middle Eastern cooking — and Harajuku Kitchen is the platform where that vision comes to life.

“I want to be the Ottolenghi of Japanese food.”

So declares Chef Kaori Simpson, the creative force behind Harajuku Kitchen, and it’s not a throwaway line. Ottolenghi took Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours and made them vibrant, vegetable‑forward, globally curious, and irresistibly accessible. Kaori wants to do the same for Japanese cuisine — to show Scotland that Japanese cooking is a whole world of colour, texture, and joy.

That ethos has shaped Harajuku Kitchen since it opened 13 years ago on the Tollcross/Bruntsfield border. What began as a neighbourhood restaurant has grown into a multi‑platform celebration of Japanese food: a beloved Stockbridge Market stall, a bustling Edinburgh Street Food concession, and a thriving private catering operation. Everywhere the team goes, the goal is the same — to make Japanese food feel welcoming, exciting and delicious.

From Tollcross to the Scotland Squad

One of Harajuku Kitchen’s most unexpected partnerships began with a chance encounter: a meeting with the manager of the Scottish Rugby Team. The squad had fallen in love with Japanese cuisine during the 2019 World Cup, and Kaori and her husband Keith have now been feeding them for six years. On selected training days, the players refuel on sushi, chicken karaage, udon noodles, pork katsu, and gyoza — dishes that balance comfort with clean, powerful flavour.

Their catering calendar reads like a tour of Scotland’s cultural life. They cook annually for the Japanese Consulate to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday. At last year’s St Andrews Open, none other than Rory McIlroy stopped by their stall for noodles. They’re fixtures at The Meadows Festival, Hidden Door, and The Fringe (at The Pleasance) and are also catering at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival this year.

Accessibility at the Heart

Kaori’s commitment to accessibility isn’t just philosophical — it’s built into the menu. The weekday Teishoku Set mirrors a staple of everyday Japanese dining: choose two dishes, and they arrive with steamed rice, miso soup, and unlimited genmaicha tea. For something more playful, the Kikkaju Bento Box offers a two‑tiered lunch that feels like a miniature celebration.

And then there’s the Matcha Menu, a modern, colourful lineup that captures Kaori’s Ottolenghi‑esque ambition: warm matcha lattes, iced versions, hojicha, and cold‑foam creations flavoured with vanilla, strawberry, or vivid purple ube (a yam from the Philippines ). It's a Japanese tradition meeting contemporary café culture —  exactly the kind of culinary bridge Kaori loves to build.

Harajuku Kitchen isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a journey — one that Kaori is determined to make deliciously, joyfully accessible to everyone. (S. Wilson)

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Harajuku Kitchen Bistro - 10 Gillespie Place, Edinburgh EH10 4HS 

T: 0131 285 8182