As revealed by Restaurant earlier this year, the Frith Street venue has dropped from 20 covers to 13 covers as it pushes for a third Michelin star.
The space has been given a more considered and high-end look with design details including a custom counter made from a solid piece of cherry wood; marble and glazed tiles; a wine and sake wall; and a copper and brass bar area where guests can be seated before and after meals.
The refurbishment is a collaboration with East London design studio Raven Collective and is being billed as a ‘reflection of contemporary Japanese architecture, carving out a sanctuary leading off from the vibrant Soho streets’.
The refurbishment has been paid for with operating profits and a £400,000 high-interest bank loan that will be paid back over the next two years.
The restaurant’s tableware has also been overhauled with new spoons and chopsticks made using a blend of ebony, marble, gold and silver; and hand-blown pieces from Herefordshire ceramicist Steven Brown.
Sato’s 16-course menu has been ‘reimagined’ but will continue to explore his Japanese and European heritage and teachings.
There will be an even greater focus on sake with around 45-50 references.
The wine list has also grown with teh restaurant also now offering non-alcoholic ferments and infusions such as a pear with milk bread and Thai basil stems and root vegetables infused with Malawi mountain tea.
Sato told Restaurant that attracting a second star earlier this year has given him the confidence to double down at Humble Chicken, which opened as a relatively affordable yakitori restaurant in 2021 but relaunched a year or so later as a tasting menu-only restaurant.
“We’re knocking the whole thing down and starting again,” Sato told Restaurant. “We want everyone that comes to have the best view and the best experience possible. Being promoted to two stars is amazing but the dream is three. I don’t want to get stuck on two stars for many years like a lot of restaurants do. Now is the time to accelerate. This refurb is a big part of that.”
The site has not undergone a full refit since it launched as Spanish restaurant Barrafina in 2007.