Japanese woodfire restaurant Kokin to launch atop The Stratford hotel

A new Japanese woodfire restaurant, Kokin, is scheduled to open its doors on Thursday the 1^st of May, on the seventh floor of The Stratford hotel in East London. The venture is led by chef Daisuke Shimoyama, known for his previous London omakase restaurant Hannah, which received critical acclaim for its technical precision and high-quality ingredients. The 140-cover restaurant will feature two roof terraces overlooking the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, while offering a contemporary take on Japanese cuisine.

The name Kokin reflects a spirit of timelessness, translating directly from Japanese as “past and present”. The menu centres on woodfire cooking, using cherry and apple wood to impart subtle flavours, alongside Binchotan charcoal for high-heat grilling. This approach draws inspiration from Shimoyama’s upbringing in the mountains of Gunma, Japan, where woodfire cooking was a formative experience. Dishes will highlight both Japanese and seasonal British produce, including wild mountain vegetables, A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, and a range of seafood.

There will be a dedicated sushi bar, for an omakase experience that combines both “Temae”—where guests select ingredients—and Omakase, which translates as “leaving it to the chef.” The menu will make use of different parts of the fish, from otoro to lesser-known cuts, with dishes such as Woodfire x Charcoal Grilled Turbot, where the bones are grilled to create a stock and sauce, then combined with Kyoto white miso and served with turbot.

The restaurant will also host sustainable bluefin tuna evenings, showcasing the deconstruction and preparation of whole fish supplied by specialist fisherman Hajime Tanaka. The bluefin tuna is sourced from both Spanish waters and the Portuguese coast, with an emphasis on minimising waste and using each part of the fish. 

Kokin’s beverage programme entails a curated wine list from Provisions Wine & Cheese, a selection of sakes, and Japanese-inspired cocktails. The restaurant is located within The Stratford, part of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, a building designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with interiors by Space Copenhagen. 

Food Desk

Bookings for Kokin are now open from the dedicated webpage here.