The Role of Japanese Ingredients in Our Event Cooking
At Cole & Hough, flavour is always the starting point.
While our menus are rooted in seasonal produce and bold combinations, we often draw on Japanese ingredients to add depth and balance to our dishes — particularly across our London event catering and private dining services.
Three ingredients appear regularly in our kitchens: miso, kombu and dashi.
They’re not used to dominate a dish or make it overtly “Japanese”. Instead, they allow us to build flavour quietly and precisely.
What Is Umami?
Umami is often described as the fifth taste — savoury, rounded and deeply satisfying. It enhances other flavours rather than masking them.
Japanese ingredients are particularly effective at delivering this depth without heaviness, which is why they work so well in event cooking. When serving canapés, bowl food or multi-course dinners, flavour needs to be bold yet balanced — impactful, but never overwhelming.
Miso
Miso is a fermented soybean paste with a rich, savoury profile.
We use it to add subtle complexity to dressings, marinades and sauces. It brings saltiness, sweetness and depth all at once, helping round out sharper ingredients and amplify natural flavour without making a dish feel heavy.
In event catering, where dishes must deliver flavour in a few bites, miso allows us to create impact while maintaining balance.
Kombu
Kombu is a type of dried seaweed traditionally used in Japanese cooking.
It’s valued for its natural glutamates, which enhance savoury notes in vegetables, stocks and proteins.
We use kombu to quietly build flavour from the base up, especially in broths, slow-cooked elements and vegetable-focused dishes.
Dashi
Dashi is a light stock often made from kombu and bonito flakes.
Unlike heavier European stocks, dashi is clean and refined — adding savoury depth without weight.
That clarity makes it particularly useful for modern event menus in London, where guests want flavour and satisfaction without feeling overfull.
Why We Use Them
In London event catering, there is fierce competition, so food needs to:
Deliver bold flavour
Look refined
Work across multiple dietary requirements
Feel generous but balanced
Ingredients like miso, kombu and dashi help us achieve that balance. They enhance seasoning, add savoury complexity and allow other ingredients — fresh herbs, seasonal vegetables and quality proteins — to shine.
They are tools. Used carefully. Never overpowering.
Just depth where it’s needed.
Written by Sam Hough 26/02/2026