Poultry in motion
ANGELO SATO • Humble Chicken
WORK • Wednesday Routine
ANGELO SATO • chef-owner • Humble Chicken
Neighbourhood you work in: Soho
Neighbourhood you live in: Camden
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I always begin by going through the produce and making sure everything is set up for the day. I check in with the rest of the team and begin to prep – I believe in working alongside the rest of the team like a commis chef. In the afternoon, we have a pre-service briefing, then launch into our first service of the evening, followed by a second sitting until around midnight.
We serve an omakase menu, drawing on my Japanese and European heritage as well as my background in fine dining. Humble Chicken began as a yakitori restaurant, but my intention has always been fine dining, and we made the pivot in 2023. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the restaurant grow and our offering improve.
What’s on the agenda for today?
We’ve undergone a major refurbishment following the second Michelin star, and we reopened last summer to push for a third star. The experience at Humble Chicken 3.0 is the best it’s ever been. We’ve refined everything from the way we source our produce, wines, sake and tableware, to how we pace the dining experience and interact with the guest. We’ve put a lot of work into our dishes – for example, our signature dish: The Humble Pigeon. It’s a pigeon we source from Anjou and serve in multiple parts, including crown, donabe, dashi, leg, wing and tsukemono. Each part tells a story and honours our yakitori beginnings, but they all come together as one complete dish that captures the essence of the bird.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
After a Saturday service, we might go out as a team for beer and food. Our favourites include Dumplings Legend and Old Town 97 – they’re still open at 1a. When I’m able to go out for dinner, I enjoy tasting menus. Palate fatigue is real for me, so I prefer smaller portions and a variety of flavours. Kitchen Table is a favourite and I’ve been many times. The service is excellent and the menu interesting. I also love Endo Kazutoshi’s work. Endo at the Rotunda [which is temporarily closed, due to a fire] was the place I went to often.
What was your last great holiday?
During our refurb, I went to Phuket, which was a great experience. There was a lot of eating and drinking, as well as training at the gym. I also went back and visited family in Tokyo. There are so many great places to eat there but my favourites include Tempura Kondo in Ginza, Shinjuku Unatetsu Hanare for Japanese eel or unagi, and Sazenka for a fancy meal. I also like Bar Mijas for sake and Gen Yamamoto for a cocktail tasting experience.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
The restaurant refurb – it cost £1mn, all without investors! I worked closely with the design studio, Raven Collective, and drew out my own plan with the kitchen at the centre. There was a lot of sourcing of different elements like glassware and tableware, much of which we had custom-made or brought from Japan, like our wooden crockery from Marunao.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Crafted Knife Co. is my go-to for knives. Their studios are based in Preston but there’s an online shop that I frequently browse – there’s something new every time. The steel is very good quality and the wooden handles are beautiful. They also sometimes have kiridashi, a type of Japanese utility knife.
Where are you donating your time or money?
I support Hospitality Action, a charity that helps everyone in the industry, from kitchen porters to head chefs. I recently took part in a dinner at Aulis, with 19 other chefs all contributing a small plate in support of the charity.