From The Start

When we first began thinking about how to showcase the latest ceramic tableware pieces by our founder and in-house pottery artist, Linh Lê, we were sure we wanted to do more than a traditional exhibition.

After all, these pieces were made to be used. They were designed to hold food, gather people around a table, and become part of shared moments and conversations. We wanted people to experience them as they were intended — not on a pedestal, but filled with food and surrounded by stories.

At ArteliLê Collective, we had been quietly building a small collection of what we call our "ready-to-plate" ceramic tableware. As the collection grew, so did the idea of creating an event where guests could interact with the pieces in a meaningful way. Rather than viewing them from afar, we wanted people to eat from them, hold them, and experience how hand built tablewares can transform a dining table.

With that vision in mind, we reached out to our friends at My Grandma's Kitchen London.

We met the women behind the project, Susie and Angelaa, one April evening in Soho. Naturally, our first conversation happened around a shared meal. Sitting together over family-style dishes, we talked about food, heritage, creativity, community, and the stories that live within both handmade objects and family recipes.

That dinner became our starting point. Ideas flowed effortlessly from one topic to the next. We spoke about the role of food in preserving culture, the traditions passed down through generations, and the importance of creating spaces where people can slow down and connect. By the end of the evening, the foundations of what would become the Kool & Kolam Supper Club had quietly begun to take shape.

What is project My Grandma's Kitchen London?

Founded by Susie and Angelaa, My Grandma's Kitchen London is a community project that brings people together through food, culture, and storytelling.

At the heart of the project is a simple but powerful idea: inviting grandmothers from different cultural backgrounds to share the meals, recipes, and traditions that have been passed down through generations. Through these gatherings, stories are exchanged, heritage is celebrated, and connections are formed across cultures and generations.

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Why Kool & Kolam?

The name Kool & Kolam was simply a combination of the two elements that would shape the afternoon.

Kool is a traditional Sri Lankan seafood stew and a beloved family dish of Angelaa and her grandmother, Jothy, who would be cooking it for our guests. Rich in flavour and heritage, the dish carries stories of her family gatherings, connection to her lovely grandmother, and recipes passed down from one generation to the next.

Kolam, meanwhile, is a traditional South Indian art form often created by women at the entrance of a home as a symbol of welcome, prosperity, harmony, and connection to nature. Beyond its visual beauty, the repetitive process of drawing Kolam patterns is deeply meditative.

As we continued planning, we realised that Kool & Kolam represented much more than a meal and an activity. Together, they embodied everything we hoped the event would be: a vision of a gathering centred around slow craft, home-cooked food, cultural heritage, and meaningful human connection.

The Preparation

From our first conversations in April, we had around two to three months to bring the supper club to life — enough time to gather ideas, source materials, and slowly shape the experience we envisioned.

As the weeks passed, it was lovely to watch the seasons shift from spring into summer. The days grew longer, the weather warmer, and everything began to feel aligned with the atmosphere we hoped to create. Our chosen venue, Green Place Studios, felt like the perfect setting. Filled with natural light, flowing curtains, open windows, and an abundance of greenery, the space embodied the relaxed feeling of a summer afternoon gathering. We couldn't wait to begin styling the event in a way that reflected both the venue and the spirit of the supper club.

One of the most exciting parts of the preparation was creating a collection of hand-built ceramic bowls exclusively for the event. Linh, our founder and in-house pottery artist, designed a series of scalloped bowls inspired by the gentle movement of ocean waves — a nod to Sri Lanka's coastline and Grandma Jothy's seafood-centred menu.

Creating the collection was a slow and thoughtful process. A set of fourteen bowls, along with additional serving pieces for sharing dishes and sides, took nearly two months to complete. Between hand-building, drying, glazing, firing, and waiting for precious kiln time, each piece demanded patience. Every bowl was shaped entirely by hand, with Linh carefully guiding the clay while allowing its natural character and movement to emerge.

For the glazing, Linh chose a palette of bright, joyful colours that felt perfectly suited to summer. The finished pieces brought warmth and vibrancy to the tablescape, complementing the light-filled setting of Green Place Studios and adding playful moments of colour throughout the dining experience.

As the event approached, seeing the completed bowls finally laid out on the table felt incredibly rewarding. What had started as sketches, lumps of clay, and months of preparation had become part of a living exhibition — one where guests could not only admire the pieces, but experience them as they were intended to be experienced: gathered around a table, filled with food, conversation, and shared memories.

For us, this was always the exhibition we wanted to curate. Not one viewed from a distance, but one that could be touched, used, and enjoyed.

*These summer scallop wave bowls will be coming to our online shop soon

On The Day

Our partners at My Grandma's Kitchen London arrived with heaps of chai tea, fresh seafood, juicy Kesar mangoes, and a huge pot of Kool stew, ready to get cooking in the studio's pink kitchen. As soon as the hob was turned on and the stew began to warm, the aroma filled the space. Susie, Angelaa, and Grandma Jothy soon got to work, preparing a delicious two-course brunch of Kool seafood stew, followed by pink pineapple pudding and the sweetest slices of mango. ✨

As part of the afternoon, Linh had prepared a short Kolam painting workshop, complete with simple guides to help guests create their own Kolam designs on ceramic coasters to take home or gift to a loved one.

Before the workshop began, Angelaa and Grandma Jothy shared the story behind the tradition, explaining the meaning of Kolam painting in Indian culture. It was a beautiful way to introduce the activity and provide a deeper appreciation for the cultural heritage behind the patterns.

With brushes in hand, guests gradually settled into the creative process, allowing themselves to slow down and let their creativity flow. Some carefully followed traditional motifs, while others added their own personal interpretations. Conversations sparked naturally across the table as people shared ideas, admired each other's work, and exchanged stories.

In many ways, it became the perfect icebreaker—bringing people together through the simple joy of making something by hand.

With the workshop complete and everyone’s clay coasters set out on windowsills to dry, our team at ArteliLê Collective began setting the table with the collection of scallop-wave bowls that had been months in the making. As the dishes arrived from the kitchen and were plated onto the handmade ceramics, the vision we had imagined for so long finally came to life.

Before long, everyone gathered around the table and began to tuck into the meal. It was a joy to watch conversations flow. Stories were shared, laughter echoed around the room, and new friendships began to form over bowls of Grandma Jothy's lovingly prepared food.

Looking around the table, we were reminded of why we had wanted to create this event in the first place. The handmade ceramics were no longer simply objects on display; they had become part of a shared experience, holding food, facilitating conversation, and bringing people together.

The meal was enjoyed, connections were made, and what began as an idea over dinner a few months earlier had become a truly memorable summer afternoon centred around food, craft, culture, and community. ✨

We spent a truly beautiful Sunday afternoon hosting a group of wonderful guests, and we couldn’t have asked for a more meaningful collaboration. We’re so grateful for the energy, warmth, and creativity that filled the space, and we can’t wait to welcome you back at our next gathering. ✨