Over the pre-covid years, supper clubs had become an extremely popular trend in dining, especially in cities, as diners were seeking new experiences.
Many have transformed into restaurants, and some were the launchpad to move across the country and open a brand new business, as was the case for Thomas Tsappis and Matilda Ruffle, owners of award-winning Killiecrankie House in Perthshire.
Post-covid, we’re now, more than ever, seeking something new in dining, which is where the supper club can, once again, come into its own.
This is something that’s not gone unnoticed by chefs Marc Johnston and Jonathan Mackle, who have recently launched Tumshie, a Glasgow-based supper club. “Having a space of our own, such as a supper club was always something we’d been toying with.” said Mackle, “and we’ve now finally got our arses in gear.”
Johnston added: “Our aim is always just to have fun and we want to have an atmosphere where people can come and enjoy really good food whether it’s a date night, a catch up with friends or whatever else. It’s just about getting together and eating well in a relaxed atmosphere. We’ll have (likely) questionable music playing, interesting food cooked well and a breezy, casual service.”
Tumshie’s first supper club was at Big Counter, where Mackle works - a casual bistro style restaurant in Glasgow’s south side that’s quietly gaining industry accolades and rave reviews.
The night, mainly for friends and family, was a vegan affair and consisted of a seven course menu of seasonal, plant-based dishes. Both chefs, who met years ago through a mutual friend, and worked together briefly at Hanoi Bike Shop, explain that they’re not classically trained - Marc started working as a kitchen porter back in 2012 after he lost his job in a call centre.
He said: “I fell in love with the kitchen immediately.” While Jonathan “pestered the head chef at a well regarded Steakhouse in the city where I was working as a bartender, for a trial in the kitchen, he eventually relented and I got my foot in the door.” The decision to cook a vegan menu for the first supper club was down to the joy of it and the fact it ‘forces you to think differently.’
Marc explained: “We’ve always enjoyed cooking vegan food. Using meat, butter, cream etc is all fine and we love that too but when you take all that away, it forces you to think differently about how you approach food.
"Vegetables can be some of the most enjoyable things to eat and you can do some incredible things to such humble ingredients if you show them the right care and give them the respect they deserve. We felt it was a good introduction to who we are.
"There’s no notion of “missing” meat because the flavours, textures and quality of the ingredients are so enjoyable that they don’t even feel like they’re “replacing” anything.
"We cooked a surprise vegan set menu. None of our guests knew what the menu was ahead of time so it created a real sense of intrigue. Nobody had any idea what they were getting. I like that. I like being told what I’m going to eat then putting my trust in someone to cook me something that I’ll enjoy.”
The (fully booked) night kicked off with bread from local bakery, Two Eight Seven, served with a beautiful smoked baba ganoush and creamy red lentil hummus; this was followed by light and crisp rice cakes topped with pale pink chilli sauerkraut mixed with punchy burger sauce.
After these snacks, the mains arrived and included a huge quarter of roasted savoy cabbage topped with a wonderfully smooth and creamy peanut curry (this was plate-lickingly good). Next up was Kentucky fried carrot, which looked a bit like a large fish finger but was pleasantly sweet and crisp (without being too rich) and served with a carrot salad and smoked chilli mayo.
The last savoury course was Tofu Bourguignon - cubed pieces of tofu in a rich sauce with button mushrooms and onion, and a side of snappy green beans served on top of a smooth, earthy beetroot sauce and topped with crunchy toasted flaked almonds.
Simple yet utterly delicious. Finally dessert was a moreish slice of chocolate orange cake, topped with chocolate creme, a scattering of pistachio and chunks of blood orange.
The first Tumshie supper club went down a storm, with well balanced dishes that would appeal to anyone, not just those on a plant-based diet. The stand out dishes for me were the savoy cabbage and peanut curry as well as the dessert.
The duo are working on their next menu and location, and the buzz online is growing. As Mackle explained: “Our next date isn’t set in stone, but we are aiming to run every couple of months. We've been very kindly offered several venues by friends in the Glasgow dining scene where we can hold future supper clubs.
"The first event being vegan will mean that we will lead with a more omnivorous menu for the next event, then vegan for the one after that, alternating as we move ahead”.
Both acknowledge that Glasgow’s dining scene has changed significantly in recent years with more diverse cuisine but also customers seeking deals as well as high end options.
They’re keen to offer a bit of both of these worlds - a good feed, at a decent price that ultimately brings people together. As Mackle said: “Food makes sense to me, where perhaps much of the world doesn’t.”
