John Devitt & Shuko Oda - How They Created 'Koya' The UK's First Udon Bar - The Biggest Mistakes Restaurants Always Make & The Brutality Of Tokyo's Kitchens!

The Go To Food Podcast

To celebrate 15 years of Koya — the quietly iconic udon bar that helped change the way London eats — we’re joined by its founders: John Devitt and Shuko Oda.

From early-morning queues to feet-kneaded noodles, we go behind the steam with the pair who brought serious broth and bounce to Soho. Shuko shares how a childhood in Japan shaped her savoury cravings, how miso soup became her first solo dish, and how Tokyo’s obsessive Italian food scene first lured her into the kitchen.

John reflects on what it took to build Koya as an outsider to the restaurant world, the challenges of scaling a niche, noodle-focused concept, and how a love of good service has shaped the way Koya welcomes people in. We hear about their early trips to Japan, the now-legendary specials board, and the tightrope walk of keeping things consistent while always evolving.

We talk burnt soy wings, kimchi holidays, and what it means to work in restaurants where holidays don’t exist — plus what makes a good noodle, how Koya scaled without losing its soul, and why Shuko still finds comfort in the simplest rice ball.

It’s a portrait of a restaurant that’s quietly influenced a generation — and the story of two people who put in the hours, trusted their instincts, and let the food do the talking.

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