About – Yaya's Kitchen

OUR STORY

About Us

WHO WE ARE

Yaya’s Kitchen is a curated culinary space rooted in storytelling, culture, and intention. Every detail—from the food and drink to the atmosphere and soundscape—is thoughtfully crafted to immerse guests in a rich sensory experience. Our work is grounded in the belief that food is a powerful vessel for memory, identity, and connection.

About Us

Located in London’s Old East Village, Yaya’s Kitchen was founded by Maryam and Malvin Wright. What began as backyard gatherings in 2017 has evolved into a refined dining experience celebrating the foods and traditions of the Sahel and the global Black diaspora. Driven by a shared vision to honour culinary heritage while pushing creative boundaries, Yaya’s Kitchen has become a destination for those seeking food with depth, meaning, and presence. Founded by Maryam and Malvin Wright in their backyard in 2017, Yaya’s Kitchen began with intimate pop-ups featuring dishes from Northern Nigeria and the Sahel. Their first Supper Club in 2019 marked a turning point—and they’ve grown steadily ever since. Today, Yaya’s Kitchen offers a Friday 5-course vegan tasting menu and a Saturday 7–9 course tasting menu inspired by the global Black experience. The restaurant is also open during the week for private events, celebrations, and curated gatherings.

What We Do

At Yaya’s Kitchen, we offer a reservation-only tasting menu experience on Fridays and Saturdays. Fridays are dedicated to a fully vegan menu—an intentional celebration of the plant-forward dishes rooted in African and diasporic culinary traditions. This experience is part of our Afrofuturist vision: honouring ancestral knowledge while imagining bold, sustainable futures through food. On Saturdays, we continue our exploration of the global Black experience with a rotating menu that bridges past and present, memory and innovation. During the week, we host private events, creating space for intimate gatherings and community connection

DAILY ORDER

0 +

SPECIAL DISHES

0 +

EXPERT CHEF

0 +

AWARDS WON

0 +

10 YEAR OF EXPERIENCE

Award Winning Chef

Yaya’s Kitchen is a curated culinary space. “We curate the food, the plates, the music, and the table cloths. Every aspect of your experience is intention and purposeful.”

Malvin and Maryam Wright

DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE

Dinner, Event or Party?

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printingand typesetting industry lorem Ipsum has been the indu strys standard dummy text ever since the when an unknown printer took a galley of type.

Malvin and Maryam Wright

OUR SERVICES

Exquisite Restaurant in City

Door Delivery

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy printing and typeset industry lorem Ipsum has been.

Fine Dining

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy printing and typeset industry lorem Ipsum has been.

Outdoor Catering

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy printing and typeset industry lorem Ipsum has been.

Banquets Hall

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy printing and typeset industry lorem Ipsum has been.

OUR reviews

Exquisite Restaurant in City

 5/5

I had the honour of attending a blind tasting menu at Yaya’s Kitchen and thoroughly enjoyed my experience. So many beautiful flavours and fusion of all cultures within the dishes. Service was excellent and the educational piece was a great connector. Delightful and delicious! Highly recommend for the experience and cuisine.

Linh Doan

 5/5

A unique experience, where the menu is not presented until you show up! The food is picked carefully and background of each part and spice is explained in a fun and interesting way. Be prepared for a 3 hour sit down dinner where the food is the show!

John Ukos

 5/5

Yaya’s Kitchen is such an amazing food experience. Maryam and Melvin have created a space where the ambiance is inviting, the service is impeccable, and the presentation of each dish is a work of art. Not only do you get to enjoy the food, but you learn about the ingredients and the process of creating the dish.