Chef Luke French’s Izakaya-inspired kitchen counter Nama, now open in Liverpool’s GPO Food Hall

21 September 2021

Nama, Liverpool is the latest venture from Sheffield based husband-and-wife duo chef Luke French and business director Stacey Sherwood-French. Located in the new GPO Food Hall, Nama is a contemporary Izakaya-inspired dining and drinking concept, offering a menu of standout dishes in a more casual setting than their critically acclaimed flagship restaurant, JÖRO, in Sheffield.

Nama (meaning raw in Japanese) uses only premium quality, sashimi-grade fish as well as responsibly sourced ingredients from the UK, EU and Japan. Working together with Luke’s trusted suppliers across the globe, Nama offers Japanese inspired small plates from the land and ocean.

The changing menu includes a variety of sashimi and nigiri such as Cornish stone bass sashimi with truffle, lemongrass & yuzu ponzo, English wasabi, nori and Sweet Sicilian red shrimp sashimi with lime & ginger ponzu, jalapeño chilli, makrut lime oil; Tartares featuring Japanese Yellowfin tuna lightly cured in koji-soy sauce, Koshihikari rice, trout roe, egg yolk, English wasabi, chives & furikake and accompanying dishes such as Unrolled spicy Yellowfin tuna with nori, Koshihikari rice, Japanese mayo, roasted golden sesame, negi onion & Bird Eye togarashi.

Luke French said: “I’m so excited we’ve been able to open our next venture Nama in Liverpool, it’s got such a rich culinary legacy and it’s amazing that we’re now a part of that! Launching within Liverpool’s biggest food hall, GPO, means that we can reach an entirely new audience, and one that will hopefully keep coming back for more.”

Continuing an incredible year of Northern expansion for the couple, Nama is the newest member of the family, following the resounding success of the launch of their boutique hotel, House of JÖRO, earlier this summer and Luke’s lockdown success collaboration with Professor Green, I USED TO RAVE BUT NOW I ROAST at-home kits. Luke has also been showcasing his culinary prowess at London venues including the live-fire festival Meatopia and a tasting-menu at the Marylebone cult favourite, Carousel.