hai Rahel Stephanie
The subject of this week's journal is friend of Hai, Rahel Stephanie, a.k.a Linda From Accounting (the best instagram pseudonym in existence). Hailing from Indonesia, and having moved to London in 2013, Rahel set up Spoons, her vegan Indonesian food business, just prior to the pandemic in 2019, as a response to the lack of authentic and exciting Indonesian food options in the UK capital. With Rahel's dynamic, colourful and witty energy at the forefront of this unique project, it's no surprise to us that it's been a hit. Since its conception, and despite several national lock-downs, Spoons has found a loud voice in the London foodie scene, The Face Magazine branding it "the most exciting Indonesian supper club in London" for good reason.
Continue reading for a taste of Rahel's inspirations, recommendations and food faves, as well as a little photo diary with her beloved Nelly Bag!
What do you do?
I run my vegan Indonesian food business Spoons - throwing supper clubs, running catering gigs, making cakes and lots in between.
Where do you call home?
Where my community is - Indonesia as my homeland and where my family is, and London where I've found my chosen family.
What are the biggest inspirations to your work?
When I first moved here aged 19, I realised there weren't many Indonesian dining establishments. I wanted to recreate the dishes I missed from home so I became obsessed with watching YouTube cooking tutorials by Indonesian housewives. So I guess some of my biggest inspirations are the Indonesian aunties of YouTube.
Can you recall your dream job as a child?
I probably wanted to be Britney Spears
Dogs or cats?
Dogs, although I'm pretty good at talking to cats.
A film that you could watch every day and never get tired of?
Ratatouille
Important question, lipstick or lipgloss?
Lipstick
Favourite restaurant in the world?
Any Warung (street side eatery) in Indonesia
What’s your most treasured possession?
My mother's vintage Chanel double flap she passed on to me when I first moved to London.
If you had to eat one breakfast food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Indomie
Favourite vintage/second hand store in the world?
Pasar Senen in Jakarta - a majority of my wardrobe that I wear on a daily rotation is still the clothes I got from this traditional market. I don't know if it's still as good as when I last visited in 2018 though.
Any hopes and dreams for 2022?
More food, more spice.
What do you do?
I run my vegan Indonesian food business Spoons - throwing supper clubs, running catering gigs, making cakes and lots in between.
Where do you call home?
Where my community is - Indonesia as my homeland and where my family is, and London where I've found my chosen family.
What are the biggest inspirations to your work?
When I first moved here aged 19, I realised there weren't many Indonesian dining establishments. I wanted to recreate the dishes I missed from home so I became obsessed with watching YouTube cooking tutorials by Indonesian housewives. So I guess some of my biggest inspirations are the Indonesian aunties of YouTube.
Can you recall your dream job as a child?
I probably wanted to be Britney Spears
Dogs or cats?
Dogs, although I'm pretty good at talking to cats.
A film that you could watch every day and never get tired of?
Ratatouille
Important question, lipstick or lipgloss?
Lipstick
Favourite restaurant in the world?
Any Warung (street side eatery) in Indonesia
What’s your most treasured possession?
My mother's vintage Chanel double flap she passed on to me when I first moved to London.
If you had to eat one breakfast food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Indomie
Favourite vintage/second hand store in the world?
Pasar Senen in Jakarta - a majority of my wardrobe that I wear on a daily rotation is still the clothes I got from this traditional market. I don't know if it's still as good as when I last visited in 2018 though.
Any hopes and dreams for 2022?
More food, more spice.