Mam Sham’s dinners serve up comedy with a side of creative packaging

Mam Sham is more than just a dinner – it’s a culinary comedy experience where food, laughs, and creativity collide. Born from the playful friendship of Maria Georgiou and Rhiannon Butler, the duo has turned London’s dining scene on its head, delivering events where humour and gastronomy meet in the most unexpected ways.

On how the pair first crossed paths, Maria says, “I met Rhiannon on the first day of big girl school. We were 11, and she was my only friend.” Fast-forward to their twenties, both happened to be working in hospitality, and they found themselves inspired by the growing supper club trend. The result? A dinner where each course is paired with a comedy act, blending narrative and nourishment. Imagine this: a comedian does a ten-minute set, and then you’re served a dish that brings their jokes to life. When Shelf Comedy joked about their phones acting like teenage boys, guests received food in packaging that mimicked shoe polish, Lynx, and protein powder. “We serve the food in those exact products, redesigned to pay homage to their set,” Maria explains, highlighting the duo’s knack for creativity.

Despite Maria’s brief stint in graphic design school, it’s her self-taught skills that sit at the core of Mam Sham’s visual identity. In fact, Mam Sham’s visuals are what initially caught our eye. “I had to learn it all on the job,” Maria says, revealing the DIY ethos that permeates their work. From designing posters to crafting bespoke packaging, Mam Sham’s nostalgia-lead visuals are as much a part of the experience as the food and comedy. “We’ve been using food packaging to tell a narrative for almost eight years,” Maria explains. “We have a system that neither of us could change even if we wanted to. We start with the idea, then choose the vessel, order it, measure it, and I design it.”

In a world where branded dining is on the rise, Mam Sham is leading the charge with their unique approach. “It’s great to see so many brands embrace this,” Maria notes. Their events have become a go-to for brands like Nike and Nando’s, who are eager to tap into Mam Sham’s ability to weave storytelling into every bite. “We don’t just produce great events, we offer a fun way of telling their story organically through our packaging. It’s essentially really tasteful subliminal messaging.”

For nearly eight years, Mam Sham has been crafting these experiences with incredible attention to detail, with Maria and Rhiannon at the helm of it all. “We’ve been producing everything in-house,” Maria says. From concept to creation, it all happens at Maria’s kitchen table. By infusing every event with humour, creativity, and a dash of nostalgia, Mam Sham leaves a lasting impression long after the plates are cleared.