Flavours of the World, Close to Home: An Interview with Sophia Salloum of Pebbles London

Sophia Salloum, director of Pebbles London, has called Ealing home her entire life. She trained as a chef at the University of West London, and after gaining experience in the industry, she now runs pop-up supper clubs that celebrate the joy of food. Sophia’s events are about bringing people together over their love of good cuisine, with a focus on seasonality and cross-cultural flavours. Her five-course menu offers both vegan and regular options, and guests are welcomed with a complimentary drink. The next event, her Winter Supper Club, is scheduled for the 15th of December and promises to deliver a festive twist on traditional dishes, along with her signature global influences.

Q&A with Sophia

You've explored a wide variety of cuisines and culinary techniques through your travels. How do those experiences influence your approach to seasonal cooking, and how do you decide which ingredients to feature in your dishes?

People often ask me which cuisine my food belongs to, and I always say, why stick to one when there are so many beautiful cuisines that deserve to be celebrated? I've tried many dishes from every country I've visited, and they have stayed with me not only for the delicious flavours but because of the people who made them. For many people around the world, food is deeply personal. When I write my menus, I keep in mind that the dishes people make are rooted in their own histories and connections with food. While I can aim for authenticity with ingredients and techniques, that personal history can’t be replicated without that connection. I draw inspiration from the flavours, ingredients, and techniques across various cuisines, incorporating them while respecting their origins and considering their seasonal availability. When choosing ingredients, I look at the entire dish. It’s important that each element complements the others and adds to the overall balance of flavours.

As a professionally trained chef, what are some of the most valuable kitchen techniques or tips that you find yourself using often, both in your own cooking and when preparing for events?

There are countless tips and tricks I’ve picked up, not only through my training but from every chef I’ve worked with. Each chef has a unique approach, so even with the same task, I get to learn different ways to handle it. One universal principle is working methodically; in the kitchen, we prepare all the ‘mise en place’ first, which roughly translates from French as ‘put in place.’ This means getting all the components of a dish ready before cooking, which makes the flow of service much smoother—a crucial factor when preparing for events. A tip I always recommend is placing a damp cloth or kitchen paper under your chopping board; it stops it from moving around and has probably prevented countless kitchen injuries!

With your Autumn and Winter supper clubs at Soanes Kitchen, how do you plan to showcase seasonal ingredients in your menus? Can you give us a sneak peek of what guests can expect for the winter event?

There are so many beautiful seasonal ingredients, and I hope to showcase them by ensuring they all have a place to shine in my dishes. For my autumn supper club, I wanted to use each ingredient to evoke the feeling of a walk through an autumn park. I used autumn root vegetables to make vegetable crisps in the shape of leaves, creating a look of fallen autumn leaves on the plate. I also experimented with textures and techniques to showcase my favourite autumn ingredients in different ways. For example, I highlighted blackberries in my desserts, using freeze-dried blackberry and chocolate bark, blackberry gel, fresh blackberries, and blackberry powder. For the winter menu, I want to focus on nostalgia and comfort. It will be a classic Christmas menu with a twist, incorporating elements from Indian, Middle Eastern, and Thai cuisines.