Jeremy Chan &Iré Hassan-Odukale
Q:
Iré, do you want to tell me about Ikoyi?
I:
Ikoyi is a restaurant that Jeremy and I started about five years ago.
“I don’t really live my life like that. I do what I want to do and don’t do things I don’t want to do.”
Q:
What would you say your greatest achievement has been so far?
J:
This is a hard one because I sometimes feel like I'm not achieving anything - I think that's something that keeps me going. But, if I had to pick, it would be winning a second [Michelin] star this year. It’s really a shared achievement with the team, I’m proud of us.
“Staying consistent and accepting when people have a strongly defined character is important for me.”
Q:
What’s the biggest stroke of luck you’ve had?
I:
Probably finding out that Jeremy could cook very well when we lived together. If I didn’t, we might not be here.
“Having a good rapport with my family is essential. As is having a strong purpose in my life.”
Iré wears:
© 2022 L’Estrange London.
useful
‘Variety is the spice of life’, or so the saying goes. For Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale, it is the spice itself, which is the beating heart of their two Michelin-star restaurant, Ikoyi. Situated in London’s St James area, Ikoyi reinvigorates micro-seasonal British ingredients with an archive of spices, largely from sub-Saharan West Africa, where Iré grew up. We spoke to the pair to discover what ‘essential’ means to them.
Occupation:
Co-founders, IKOYI
Interview length:
22:31
“I think having a good rapport with my family is essential. As is having a strong purpose in my life.”
In today's multi-faceted and demanding world, it’s often difficult to cut through the noise so that we can spend our valuable time and energy on the things that truly count.
This series of conversations with members of our community centres around the notion of 'Essentialism' so we can all learn to recognise what's absolutely necessary in order to lead a meaningful life.
With
Location:
St. James’s, London
Q:
Can you describe the food and the thought behind it?
J:
So, the food at Ikoyi is a personal expression of my passion for ingredients, spices and making beautiful things to make people feel special and have a great experience.
Q:
What’s the one thing you’d like to remove from your life but can’t seem to?
J:
I don’t really live my life like that. I do what I want to do and don’t do things I don’t want to do. So, I can’t think of anything that I don’t want to do right now. I think maybe what I would remove from my life is this intense seriousness about doing what I want to do, and be a bit more relaxed.
Q:
What person has had the biggest impact on your life so far?
I:
Impact… probably Jeremy, I think.
Q:
In terms of literature, art and music, is there anything that’s had a big influence on you?
J:
Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert. Have you read that book? Incredible novel. I think about that book a lot. You should read it.
Q:
What would you be doing if you weren’t a chef?
J:
I’d probably be teaching at University, maybe. I really enjoy methods and structures of thought. I think that’s why I like the idea of academia, as it’s about the organisation of thought and developing arguments. It’s very theoretical, and building that with people is very exciting.
Q:
What possession would you save in a fire?
J:
Probably my knives – the whole collection. I feel very lucky to have a job where I really respect the tools that I work with. But, not just my knives. All the equipment I have is really important and I just see the value in looking after your working materials.
Q:
What’s it like starting a business with a friend?
I:
Once you find the zen between both of you, I think it’s cool.
Q:
What’s the one taste or smell that takes you back to your childhood?
I:
Probably the smell of fried plantain or the smell of chlorine in swimming pools – I don’t know why but that really takes me back to my childhood.
Q:
What’s your number one marker of a good friendship?
I:
Consistency and loyalty. Staying consistent and accepting when people have a strongly defined character is important for me.
J:
We’ve known each other since we were 15. So, over 20 years now. It’s crazy. It’s gone by so quickly.
Q:
What’s essential to you?
I:
The people around me – family and friends.
J:
Family. I think having a good rapport with my family is essential. Having a strong purpose in my life is essential as well.
Q:
Do you think you have that?
J:
Yeah, definitely.
Jeremy wears:
“It’s a realistation that drives you to make sure you make the most of it.”