10 questions with Holly Middleton-Joseph of Hausu

Holly Middleton-Joseph is the head chef of Hausu in Peckham, which she co-founded with her brother Tom and their business partner Christian Williams in 2025. Hausu, named after a cult Japanese horror film, is known for bold food, great music, and excellent cocktails served upstairs in the restaurant’s new bar.

You can find Hausu on the CODE app at 25% off food.

What’s the most underrated dish on the menu at Hausu?

At the moment, it would be the smoked ricotta cappelletti with Vesuvio tomatoes. When I first put it on the menu, no one ordered it, so I told all my front of house to say it was their favourite dish and then we sold loads. I feel like it should be on every check. It’s so delicious for this time of year. It comes with a Vesuvio tomato pulp served at room temperature so you’re getting a combination of hot and cold; it’s not just a steaming hot plate of pasta.

Where do you go after hours?

If and when I go out, I’ll go to the Montpelier pub, Frank’s rooftop bar and occasionally, occasionally, we have been known to go to Palais which is that new club [opened on Rye Lane in February 2026]

What’s your secret Peckham tip?

Peckham’s got a few good foraging spots. There’s a stunning magnolia tree two minutes walk from Hausu; in Peckham Rye Park, there are lots of fig trees and there is bronze fennel everywhere, and three-cornered leeks too.

What’s the best thing you can do in Peckham with £20?

I would say you can go to Guacamole’s and get three tacos for £11, then you can go to Peckhamplex and watch a movie for £6, and how much money do we have left? With £3, you could get a really nice ice cold juice from the juice man [Osman Juice] on Rye Lane.

Where do you go when you want to splurge?

There are lots of good places in South London, but for a splurge, we’re probably looking more at Soho or East London if we’re spending a bit more money. I went to the new Singburi, that’s really good; obviously Kiln’s my favourite, love that; I went to Impala, really really really good.

Which CODE offers are you going to be snapping up?

I have been known to use the Sticks ‘n’ Sushi discount. It’s a good one.

What’s your favourite thing to cook at home?

My fiancée and I both really love Thai food so I’ll often cook a laab at home. I’ve always got lime leaves in the freezer, bird’s eye chillies, the works.

Which element of your job do you like most and like least?

I like developing dishes, even if it’s a little bit frustrating when it doesn’t go right. I love teaching my staff something new and when they nail it and they’re really proud and they’re taking pictures, I think that’s adorable. What I don’t like is inputting data into our stock control software. It’s quite granular and there’s a lot of admin involved and that is just not my strongest point.

What are your favourite and least favourite ingredients?

I’m not too keen on offal. I’m not too keen on kidneys or liver; hearts are fine. So you won’t see a lot of that on my menu, only in parfait form. Things that I love at the moment, I really really love kumquats.

When you’re not working in a restaurant or eating in one, where will we find you?

I will either be working for someone else to get more money because I’m trying to save up to buy a house or I’ll just be at home with the animals. I’ve got two cats and a dog. Or me and Jesse will often go down to Kent; my mum lives there, it was where I was brought up, and we’ve got a really nice allotment down there.