The Jackson & Levine supperclub started as a little hobby when we met at a jumble sale and bonded over our love of food and our sometimes unpredictable jobs in TV.
We started a lunch club (with only two members) cooking for each other before deciding to branch out and include other people.
Our first offiicial J&L supperclub was two years ago and we haven't looked back.
Here are some of the tips and tricks we have gathered along the way...
<font color="#00a8f1">Jackson & Levine’s Supperclub Rules</font>
GUESTS
- Fashionably late is so played out. Arrive promptly. You don't want to bypass the chance to have a snoop around and choose your seat - or even worse miss a canapé!
- Choose your wingman wisely. Take your chatty friend. Going to a restaurant is for catching up with a mate, going to a supperclub is for meeting new ones!
- Fussy eaters need not apply. While we try and cater for all dietary requirements, a supperclub is a place for experimentation and exploration. We, like many others, have a set menu. Be adventurous and try something new!
- Take pictures of the table layout and recreate bits you like at home. Keep the menu for inspiration at your next dinner party.
- Tag people you meet in photos of the evening. That way when you've forgotten everyone's names the next day, you can still keep in touch!
HOSTS
- We are not too keen on themes but it is important to have a concept. We think less is more, that’s why we celebrate the seasons cooking simple British fare.
- When it comes to table design, expensive is not always best. We use Ikea tea towels as napkins (Tekla, 35p) - just cut the labels out and iron within an inch of their life. For our Nordic supperclub we made our own serving boards from wood we found in a skip (well washed, we assure you). We spend nearly as much time transforming the space and the table as we do on the food!
- Always keep your eyes peeled - wherever you are! We have found some great serving platters and glassware at seaside charity shops, we also love a holiday market for unearthing interesting tableware. We are constantly on the look out for anything we can use at the supperclubs.
- Beg, borrow and (occasionally) steal. For our last supperclub we went foraging around our neighbourhood in East London and found some beautiful pink sweet pea flowers (we do advise you follow foraging guidelines carefully). We also have been known to be pretty cheeky; asking the butcher for a discount, loaning tables from the neighbours and borrowing vases from the florist. You don't ask, you don't get. The worst thing they can say is no.
- Have at least one cold course. This can be whatever you want; a starter, a dessert. It will buy you time and is a lifesaver for those with a small oven and kitchen.
- Keep drinks topped up. As long as the wine flows, so does the chat! We break the ice with a house cocktail on arrival - it helps those pre-dining jitters.
- The most pricey cut is not always the best. Some of the most inexpensive pieces of meat can be delicious when slow cooked, your butcher can advise where to get bang for your buck.
