London's Ikoyi Restaurant Is Now the Only African Restaurant with a Michelin Star In the UK

London's Ikoyi restaurant was one of six fine dining spots in the buzzy UK hub to earn a Michelin star at the Michelin Guide UK 2019 awards, Evening Standardreports.

To be able to achieve this accolade is a feat in of itself, and also is a history making moment for the restaurant—as it's now the first African restaurant in London to have a Michelin star, London Eateradds.

Ikoyi was a new-comer in 2017 and is co-owned by Iré Hassan-Odukale and Jeremy Chan. The restaurant prides itself on its innovative perception of West African ingredients. "We combine bold heat and umami with the highest quality products in a warm and welcoming environment," the restaurant says on its website.

In an interview with London Eater, Chan emphasizes that the concept of the St. James Market-based restaurant was never to offer an "authentic experience," but to instead respectfully analyze the flavors and ingredients of West African food as "artifacts."

"This goes deeper than doing a play on a specific cuisine," he says.

Patrons and supporters took to Twitter to congratulate the restaurant on this achievement.