Cover Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale, co-founders of London restaurant Ikoyi, launch Magma Concepts with the debut of Magma Hot Sauce
Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale, co-founders of London restaurant Ikoyi, launch Magma Concepts with the debut of Magma Hot Sauce
1 / 1
From the minds of Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale, a two-year, lacto-fermented hot sauce brings Ikoyi’s layered spice, citrus lift and umami depth into everyday cooking
At Ikoyi, heat has never behaved like a loud guest. It doesn’t barge in, shout and leave. It arrives with manners (in layers). A lift of citrus here, a bloom of warmth there, and then the slow, persuasive hit of umami. It is the sort of spice that feels composed rather than combustible, which makes the arrival of Magma Hot Sauce, the first product from Magma Concepts by co-founders Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale, feel less like a merchandising exercise and more like a natural extension of the restaurant’s culinary logic.
Developed over two years, the sauce has been engineered with the same patience the kitchen is known for. The base is lacto-fermented chillies, which adds depth, and is sharpened with citrus and anchored by an unusually thoughtful pairing of peppercorns: white penja from Cameroon for its clean, white-hot clarity, and red kampot from Cambodia for a gentler, sweet warmth.
Crucially, it has been designed with real kitchens in mind, not just restaurant plates. The suggested uses read like the quiet habits of people who actually cook: a dash over eggs, a lift to fried rice, a slick across pizza, folded into mayonnaise or dipping sauces, worked into marinades for meat or fish, even slipped into cocktails or infusions.
See also: Ikoyi’s Jeremy Chan reveals his top five places to eat and drink in London
Above Magma Hot Sauce, a condiment made with lacto-fermented chillies, citrus and white penja and red kampot peppercorns
Magma Hot Sauce, a condiment made with lacto-fermented chillies, citrus and white penja and red kampot peppercorns
1 / 1
If you are in London, the launch itself will be marked on Saturday, March 28, when Ikoyi hosts a series of timed tastings in London. Guests will be served a fried chicken dish with rice, or a vegetarian alternative, alongside a cocktail, beer or non-alcoholic drink, with the sauce taking centre stage rather than sitting politely on the side. Each ticket holder will also leave with a bottle of Magma Hot Sauce and an exclusive Magma tote bag, while T-shirts will be available at an additional cost. Tickets are priced at £50.
The hot sauce will retail at £10 and be available from 28 March via the Magma Concepts website. Notably, it will ship internationally, including to Asia, a small but telling detail for a restaurant whose flavour references and influences have always stretched far beyond its London postcode.
Above Guests at Ikoyi’s London tasting event celebrating the launch of Magma Hot Sauce on March 28
Guests at Ikoyi’s London tasting event celebrating the launch of Magma Hot Sauce on March 28
1 / 1
Ikoyi
Address: 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA, United Kingdom
A storyteller by day and a first-class food devourer by night, Fontaine is the Regional Dining Editor at Tatler Asia, overseeing dining content across all regions and shaping the brand’s editorial voice on food, chefs and culinary culture.
She is also Content Lead for Tatler Best and Co-jury Head for Tatler Best Hong Kong and Macau, guiding the awards’ editorial direction and evaluation process. With over a decade in the lifestyle and media industry spanning London and Hong Kong, she brings a cross-regional perspective to the table.
Follow her on Instagram at @fontimes.
