This week on the Food Chain, the spice, daring, and “bold heat” of one of London’s most distinctive restaurants.
In less than a decade, Ikoyi has established itself as one of the most distinctive restaurants in London—no small feat in a dining scene as crowded and fast-moving as the British capital. Much of that is due to the kitchen led by Jeremy Chan, which has evolved without fear of risk, refining a style—and, above all, an identity—that resists easy categorization.
At Ikoyi, that means a precise use of herbs and spices from across Africa and Asia, layered with techniques drawn from around the world, while sourcing proteins and produce from the British Isles. The result is what the Canadian-Chinese-British chef often describes as “bold heat.”
“His obsession with ingredients is really refreshing, especially in fine dining,” says Dylan Watson-Brawn, part of the chef-owner duo behind Julius in Berlin that we highlighted in last week’s installment of the Food Chain. For Watson-Brawn, Chan’s work stands out for his “phenomenal” use of spices—ingredients that once sent ships circling the globe and helped shape what we now think of as global cuisine. Chan draws on that legacy in dishes like suya with creamed peas and his signature smoked jollof rice, a recipe that shifts with the seasons but never compromises on intensity.
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