In this episode, Justine interviews Chef Jeremy Chan as he shares about his journey in the industry, his team’s strategies to develop his restaurant and winning two Michelin stars.

Born in the North West of England, Jeremy’s journey into professional kitchens was far from traditional. An intuitive academic, his early years through to adulthood were spent soaking up the ever-changing world around him. Sciences, languages, arts - nothing within or outwith school escaped his restless enthusiasm. However, his one constant in all this was food, and he early recognised its link to his studies, the senses, and the part culture played too.

This analytical mindset led him to university, and after graduating in Languages and Philosophy, he found himself back in Europe working in business for two years.

A chance conversation with childhood friend and now- business partner, Iré Hassan-Odukale ignited a spark around the possibilities of new restaurant concept. A period of intensive research ensued and what emerged was a series of new dishes with unique international flavour profiles and a desire to forge a new culinary narrative. For almost five years, he worked tirelessly, absorbing every last bit of information, taking notes, researching in his free time and immersing himself in the physical and mental repetition of acquiring skill and technique to master the craft of cheffing.

Chan immersed himself in the culture and tastes of a new world of flavour and began combining his culinary skills and ideas with British ingredients. A series of new dishes with unique international flavour profiles emerged, driven solely by his search for ‘deliciousness’, and the concept of Ikoyi was born.

Working directly with select British farmers, fishermen and producers, the kitchen is driven by a totally objective, creative reaction to micro-seasonality and often overlooked ingredients in terms of context and culture. A pure, personal expression through Jeremy’s analytical lens, dishes harness flavour highs while respecting the nature of each ingredient. The result are menus that surprise the senses with a balance of heat and umami, with dishes imagined in the first instance artistically for visual impact and only then are recipes created.

Website: www.ikoyilondon.com

Instagram: @jeremychanikoyi & @ikoyi_london

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