Former Cycene chef to relaunch Humo in London’s Mayfair

Chef Theo Clench, founder of the Michelin-starred Cycene, is to relaunch Humo in London’s Mayfair as Igni, in partnership with Creative Restaurant Group.

 

Opening on 22 April, Igni will operate as a set menu-only restaurant specialising in “fire dining”, showcasing suppliers such as Henderson Seafood.

 

Executive chef Clench joined the team in January and has also brought on senior sous chef Antoni Gkouma and pastry chef William Scanlan, who has worked with Clench since 2019.

 

Clench’s menu takes inspiration from his childhood upbringing in Brighton and his memories of the coast.

 

Diners will be able to choose between an eight, five and three-course menu, with the option for a £49 set lunch.

 

 

Dishes will include oyster, cucumber, nasturtium (ember cooked oyster, cucumber sauce, soft herb oil, fermented cucumber, nasturtium and bronze fennel); turbot, lettuce, sake (aged turbot on brioche, charred lettuce, smoked bone caramel, teriyaki turbot fins); aged tuna hutoro, foie gras, shiso and wasabi, and a dessert of tofu, chocolate, koji (smoked silken tofu, madong chocolate, roasted koji and wheat leaf tuiles).

 

Meanwhile, the drinks list, curated by head sommelier Alessio Ragusini, will feature cocktails that tap into by-products of the kitchen, such as oyster shells, beurre noisette and tea extracts.

 

Clench said: “I have been with Creative Restaurant Group for a few months and realised our vision of hospitality, people, culture and restaurants align. As CRG is always evolving, the opportunity to open Igni arose. We are building an incredible team, full of young, passionate cooks who are essential to the future of the industry.

 

“For me, this is the culmination of years of experience and I am incredibly excited to be back cooking in the heart of London. We are creating something truly unique and we are looking forward to showing everyone what we are creating in Mayfair.”

 

Milena Floyd, managing director of Creative Restaurant Group, added: “It’s an honour to collaborate with such a talented team, led by executive chef Theo Clench and general manager Gaëlle Dubois. We eagerly look forward to welcoming our guests to experience Igni.”

 

 

Humo was launched by Creative Restaurant Group in January 2023 with Miller Prada as executive chef, who led the wood-fired restaurant to its first Michelin star in 2024.

 

However, following Prada’s departure from Humo in January 2025 to join Evolv Collection as culinary consultant, the restaurant was removed from the 2026 Michelin Guide.

 

Clench opened Cycene at the Blue Mountain School in London’s Shoreditch in October 2022. He left the Michelin-starred restaurant in August 2024.

 

Before joining Cycene, he was also executive chef at Akoko in London’s Fitzrovia.

 

Creative Restaurant Group is also behind the Michelin-starred Endo at the Rotunda, which remains closed after the fire in September last year.