Trader Profile-Hakko House
Our final Trader Profile for this foodie-themed feature is Frome’s own Hakkō House!
Tell us a bit about you and your business
Hey, we’re Renata and James, and we run Hakkō House. Hakkō House was born in Frome in August 2021 from a passion for authentic Japanese food, always made with love, care, only the best local ingredients… and a twist!
We are big believers in the healing power of fermentation, and have used ancient Japanese methods passed through my family to ensure that our food is not only beautiful but supports your microbiome too!
Along with sushi, we serve many other wonderful Japanese dishes that we know people will love but perhaps haven’t tasted yet. On Friday evenings in Frome, we run a Sushi Box takeaway evening, we also hold special events and pop ups at various venues, along with catering for private events. Plus of course catering for the lovely people at the The Frome Independent, alongside other markets and festivals.
Where do you get your inspiration – what motivates you to do what you do?
We are mainly inspired by a love of good food! We’ve always been foodies, and I’ve grown up seeing my Japanese mother, who is a private chef, make the most delicious creations!
James and I have been together for 16 years and we’ve always been keen to pour our creative natures into our own space that could combine our love of good food, culture and community. We’ve dipped our toe in the water a few times over the years but it took us moving to Frome to realise we were ready to establish something. We have felt so supported and motivated by the positive reactions we get from our customers and that has really spurred us on to make the next few years even more exciting!
Why did you choose to come and trade at The Frome Independent?
When we launched Hakkō House, we always knew that we wanted to trade at The Frome Independent. We love the way the market takes over the whole town, and there is so much incredible produce, art, food & more!
We are extremely proud to have a stall amongst some of the best food stalls in the UK!
What do you like most about market trading?
Markets have incredible energy and you meet amazing people. We first got a taste for market trading when we ran a cupcake stall in the famous Brick Lane market in East London – we loved the diversity and different characters that you’d meet! The best thing about market trading has to be the food swaps!
Tell us about your own favourite or best-selling product. How much work goes into creating it, why do you think this is your strongest product?
At our stall, we sell our Ōkī Maki rolls, which are basically what would happen if Sushi met a Burrito and had a love child! They are large maki rolls cut in half, Okī meaning ‘Big’ in Japanese.
Our Fish Ōkī Maki is the best-seller at our stall! We use teriyaki salmon which is sourced ethically & sustainably, along with avocado, tamagoyaki (sweet Japanese egg roll), cucumber, carrot, basil, pickled ginger & pickled beetroot.
What makes our Ōkī Maki even more special is our signature PINK rice which is dyed naturally using beetroot! The end result is super delicious, fresh & nutritious, plus it’s beautiful!
What is your favourite Frome shop, or stall to visit at The Frome Independent?
Oooh there are so many to choose from! We don’t get to explore the market as much as we wish we could, but as a fellow fermenter, we love the pickles from Paula at Get Pickled, and the thought of the treats of cannolis from Omaggi gets us through lunch rush hour!
In terms of the shops, we love brunch at Projects, smoothies from Nook, anything and everything from Lo Rapitenc, just to name a few!
We are so spoiled in Frome for all the amazing stalls and shops!
And finally, some quick fire questions….
Favourite book?
We’ve just had a baby, so my current favourite book is ‘The First Forty Days’ which is all about the fourth trimester and includes lots of delicious recipes which we’re enjoying cooking!
Describe your dream day off.
Family. Food. Nature.
What are you listening to right now?
When Alexa hasn’t been hijacked by our 4 year old (hello Disney Hits), we can usually be found listening to some Neo-soul.
What are you cooking/ eating / drinking at the moment?
As I write this, we’re 10 days post giving birth, so we’ve mainly been eating healing foods – bone broths, smoothies along with pastry treats from Rye Bakery.
You can find Hakkō House in Scott Road on market Sundays – go and get your chops round their epic Ōkī Maki rolls!
