Milly and Suzie’s story is a testament to the magic that can happen when food, friendship, and business blend seamlessly. Having met at university a bond was soon cultivated over a shared passion for cooking, fostered by their respective food-focused upbringings. Soon, dinners were hosted weekly for friends and peers, providing the perfect playground for culinary experimentation and curiosity. 

"It was this very idyllic girls' house where Milly would cook delicious dinners for us every night," Suzie recalls. "Living in London, with so many exciting restaurants around the corner, gave us the perfect opportunity to keep trying new things and coming up with new recipes. As soon as you start to discover the world of food, you just want more and more."

Milly, who studied Economics, never planned on a career in food. "I always loved food," she says, her eyes lighting up. "But cooking for my friends made me more passionate about it. By the time I graduated, pursuing a career in economics just didn't appeal anymore. Food was the only direction that felt right."

“As soon as you start to discover the world of food, you just want more and more."

Feeding Fashion
Starting out in Milly’s N5 family kitchen, the duo initially built their reputation by catering weddings and events. However, things took a turn during the 2020 pandemic. With fashion being one of the industries to continue their shoot productions (businesses demanding digital content more than ever), Milly and Suzie received their first inquiry to cater a photoshoot. Their focus on seasonal, nutritious and delicious menus caught on quickly, leading to the birth of N5 Kitchen.

Today, N5 Kitchen caters up to 15 shoots a day and has served household names like Naomi Campbell, Jimmy Choo, Net A Porter and Mulberry. 

"We were quite lucky," Suzie says. "Especially within fashion and creative industries, where many people are freelance and move between companies, they took us with them wherever they went."

Word-of-mouth remains their most effective form of advertising and despite the pressure to stay on top, Milly and Suzie have maintained their no-nonsense yet diligent approach to cooking.

Innovative and Seasonal

The secret to N5 Kitchen’s success lies no doubt in its commitment to seasonal produce and creative, ever-changing menus. "Our menu changes daily, so no client will have had the same meal twice," Milly explains. This approach requires significant creativity and adaptability, especially considering the various dietary requirements of their clients. 

"Our menu changes daily, so no client will have had the same meal twice"

To keep ideas fresh, the team meets monthly to brainstorm, drawing inspiration from cookbooks, recipes, and even Instagram. Today’s spread: a breaded chicken, or broad-bean fritters, with pickled cucumber slaw, wild garlic and new potatoes, and a strawberry cake to finish.

"Ultimately, our goal is to provide crews with delicious and nourishing meals to keep them going," says Suzie.

A job well done inevitably lies in repeat customers, with the cafe offering the joy of seeing reactions first hard. “We have certain guests that get their lunch every day, and truly, there's no bigger seal of approval than that,” Milly says. 

A Community Staple

Early 2024 marked a significant milestone for N5 Kitchen as they sought a permanent space. Fate intervened when a local Sylvanian toy shop owner retired after 30 years, making a prime location on Mountgrove Road available. Despite interest from developers, the previous owners chose Milly and Suzie, valuing their commitment to serving the community.

"In the end, they chose us because they wanted the space to continue serving the community," Milly says. The renovation process forged a strong bond between the previous owners and the duo, despite turning it upside down to fit the kitchen counter. "It was bittersweet as we obviously had to change everything, but she was so supportive and encouraging and that was special,” Suzie adds. 

Five months later, N5 Kitchen has become a staple in and outside the Finsbury area. Regulars stop by daily for their coffees, baked goods, and freshly prepared lunchboxes. 

Their community focus extends beyond the local area, relying on a network of partners and suppliers to deliver the freshest seasonal British produce, meat, fish, and poultry daily from New Covent Garden Market, James Elliott’s butchers, and Steve Hatt Fishmongers on Essex Road. This sense of partnership is one of their favourite aspects of the job.

"When they come in with our deliveries early in the morning, we always have a laugh and catch up" Suzie says. "It feels like we're all in it together."

Work hard, log off. 

For their business to thrive and stay innovative, Milly and Suzie understand the importance of unwinding as an essential counterpart to their busy weekly schedules. N5 Kitchen solely operates from Monday to Friday, ensuring weekends are reserved for rest and spending time with loved ones. 

"In the beginning, we did everything ourselves," Suzie reflects. "Now that we have our team and routine, we can use our weekends to look after ourselves and spend time with family and friends after a busy week."

Even during their downtime, food remains a central part of their lives. Weekends are often spent exploring their favourite London eateries, including classics like Trullo, The River Cafe, and Morito, as well as newer gems like the Sri Lankan restaurant Paradise and their local Japanese. 

Surprisingly, cooking continues to be a form of relaxation. Whether creating “brothy soups, pasta dishes, and abundance of greens, asparagus, and beans” as their favourite home meals.

Looking Onwards

Having cooked for some of the industry's greatest and opened their own culinary haven, what’s next for N5 Kitchen?

"Ultimately, our dream is to be here for many, many years to come and become a household name," Suzie beams. Their catering business is expanding, with plans to add even more offices and co-working spaces later this year.

"We both were fortunate to grow up with parents who loved and cared about food. Not everyone has that, and we want to share it with the next generation."

They also aim to give back by offering cooking classes to children, partnering with a local primary school for their first group next week. "We both were fortunate to grow up with parents who loved and cared about food," Milly says. "Not everyone has that, and we want to share it with the next generation."

And on their bucket list? Cooking for Beyoncé or Ruth Rogers, though the latter may have taken place already, albeit anonymously. 

As Milly and Suzie recall during one of their food pop-ups in the early years, a woman picked up a few of their curries. Nervous to cook for her ‘famous chef’ mother-in-law, the woman confided it was Ruth Rogers, the head chef at The River Cafe. 

It seems the culinary world is indeed small, and Milly and Suzie are making their mark, one delicious meal at a time.

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Maud Vos, an Amsterdam native, is a London-based producer and director of MV Creative Productions. Delivering multidisciplinary projects and campaigns across print, digital, video, and experiential realms, she has worked with industry names like ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, ASOS, and Topshop, as well as London’s biggest media agencies. An avid traveler, art lover, and writer at heart, you'll find her across London, Europe, and the world in search of the next new thing.