Robbie Jameson on mastering fire at Michelin-starred Humo
For many chefs, operating a restaurant solely based around wood-fire cooking would be a daunting prospect.
But as soon as Ayrshire-born Robbie Jameson was introduced to the process, he was hooked.
Following the departure of Miller Prada, Robbie became head chef of Michelin-starred Humo in London in March 2025, previously working in the team as senior sous chef.
Humo, which translates as ‘smoke’ in Spanish, was opened in 2023 by Creative Restaurant Group and features a large open fire and grill.
And, as Robbie explains, the type of wood and way the fire is fed plays a key role into how the meal is created.
“I started cooking with fire nearly 10 years ago,” said the Scot.
“I originally started with a more classic French style of cooking.
“As soon as I was introduced to wood fire and charcoal, it really just took my breath away - the limitless possibilities of it.
“What I think everybody seems to forget is that fire is the original source of cooking. Before there was fire, there was no cooking.
“And I think going back to that, you can extract something that's really pure, something that's really beautiful. You get so much characteristic from each type of wood.
“Whereas when you think about gas and electric, there can really only be one channel of flavour unless you add the flavour - whereas the wood is part of the main ingredient.”
Learning to Work With Fire, Not Control It
Describing the challenge that fire cooking presents, Robbie added: “One of the things that I learned about cooking with fire, and I try and teach my chefs and my team, is that you’re not really in control.
“You can guide a fire, you can try and nudge it in the direction that you want, but ultimately fire is alive. It breathes, it eats, it consumes.
“You can’t control it, but you can guide it in the way that you want.
“The sooner that you accept that the fire is really in control, the easier it becomes to cook with it.”
The Four Key Stages of Fire at Humo
The menu at Mayfair-based Humo is built around what Robbie describes as the “key stages” of a fire.
Starters begin as the fire begins, with the desserts served as the fire dies out.
Explaining the full process, Robbie said: “So the way that we do the menu here at Humo is breaking down the fire into four different stages. In my opinion, this is the life of the fire.
“You have the ignition - the start, the spark. This is when everything’s still raw. You have very little heat and this is just that first spark to light the fire.
“I base my dishes around a raw element - sashimi inspired, very gently touched or smoked by the fire.
“After this, you then have the smoke. This is where you get a lot of the moisture leaving the wood and you get intense smoke. You get a really different characteristic from each style of wood.
“After this, you then have the flame. This is the combustion. This is where you’ve got the most direct contact with the actual live fire itself. This is where I do my shellfish.
“You get quite an aggressive flame, meaning you can cook quickly at high temperature.
“One of the techniques we use is a flambadou - a cast iron cone heated in the fire, a technique dating back to the Middle Ages.”
He continued: “After this, you have the embers, the glowing coal. Once the embers start to break down, you have more access to the glucose and sugars inside the wood.
“This is where you start seeing a lot of personality from different species of wood — the heat, the life, the distance you cook from. We use a mix of applewood and oak.
“You then actually have the cinders, which are the cooling embers just before you get to ash. This is where we use that slow, gentle cooking for desserts as well.”
Ingredients, Whisky Barrels and Signature Touches
Ingredients used across the menu include New Forest fallow deer, Mediterranean yellowtail and hand-dived Orkney scallop.
A signature touch also involves the relationships Robbie has built up with whisky distilleries Balvenie and Glenfiddich in Scotland.
They send Humo whole 50-year-old barrels, which he breaks down and puts onto the fire.
“They call it ageing alcohol, I call it marinading wood,” Robbie said.
“It’s such an amazing flavour.”
Advice for Chefs New to Fire Cooking
Asked what tips he would give to chefs unsure how to approach cooking over fire, Robbie said: “My advice for anybody cooking with fire for the first time, or trying to develop the skill, is patience.
“Practice makes perfect. You will make a lot of mistakes, and that’s okay. You’re going to learn from each mistake.
“Every type of wood is going to burn differently, so you need to understand the life of that specific species of tree.
“Take your time. Remember that fire is not always aggressive. It can be delicate, it can be soft.
“And you have to feed a fire. It’s not like turning it on and off. You constantly have to feed it, otherwise it’s going to die out.”
From the New Forest to Michelin Ambitions
Prior to working at Humo, Robbie spent time at The Elderflower in Lymington, where he became heavily involved in foraging in the New Forest.
Earlier in his career, having trained in Scotland with the likes of renowned chefs Nick Nairn and Graeme Cheevers, Robbie had a spell working in Australia, where he began learning about open-fire cookery.
Robbie also featured on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2021.
Next month he will be having a close eye on the Michelin ceremony as a head chef for the first time.
Robbie said: “This is the time of year when Michelin invites are going around – I keep checking my phone!
“It’s one of the biggest achievements every chef wants to achieve.
“I’ve been so blessed with the hardworking team we’ve got in here, that come in every day and push towards that goal.
“Earning a star, and hopefully retaining it for a third year, would mean the absolute world for the team and the restaurant.
“Everybody gets a little bit shaky at this time of year, so fingers crossed.”
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Robbie Jameson on mastering fire at Michelin-starred Humo
