Not quite as modest as the name would suggest, the intimate London restaurant Humble Chicken reopened this month after a full refurbishment — in pursuit, says owner-chef Angelo Sato, of a third Michelin star for the popular Soho omakase.
Sato tapped East London design studio Raven Collective to undertake the work, taking down the original 20 covers to just 13. Guests now congregate around the counter, custom-crafted from a solid slab of cherry wood blended with walnut inflexions, facing into the open steel kitchen.
The brief reflects Sato’s years of training at Michelin kitchens in Tokyo (RyuGin, Narisawa), London (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) and New York (Eleven Madison Park). The changes create greater intention between the diner and the chefs, who draw from various Japanese prefectures and local producers.
Courtesy Humble Chicken
Courtesy Humble Chicken
Courtesy Humble Chicken
Courtesy Humble Chicken
Courtesy Humble Chicken
Courtesy Humble Chicken
Courtesy Humble Chicken
Courtesy Humble Chicken
The layout is influenced by contemporary Japanese architecture, with a healthy use of joinery, marble and hand-glazed tiles. A custom wine and sake wall surrounds the copper and brass bar, displaying highlights from the extensive cellar. The designers procured tableware from artisans close to Sato. Spoons and chopsticks in ebony, marble, gold and silver come from Murunao in Niigata, Northern Japan, and hand-blown crockery from Steve Brown, a Hertfordshire ceramicist inspired by Japanese traditions.
Sato himself has sourced a long and unique list of Japanese-brewed sakes and wine from small producers, including non-alcoholic ferments and infusions like pear with milk bread and Thai basil stems. These pair with the revitalised menu, priced at £215 at lunch and dinner.
