James Brown: “Cycene will be more ambitious than Maõs”
Blue Mountain School’s restaurant relaunches next month with a new identity. Did you ever consider keeping the name Maõs?
Yes we did. Maõs had a great reputation and we did of course have a Michelin star. But both Theo (Clench, Cycene’s chef) and I felt that a fresh start would be better. We both have big aspirations for the project. Cycene will be more ambitious than Maõs.
How is the work going?
It's the first bit of building we've done since we launched Blue Mountain School (BMS) four years ago. It's been intense as my wife Christie (Fels) and I are managing all aspects of the project. We’re remodelling the first floor of the building (a design-led space that combines very high-end niche retail with a restaurant) to create a much larger kitchen. We’re also adding in a new bar downstairs. The cost of building is up by 30% to 40% so it’s a big investment. We’re hopeful that the kitchen will be done by the first or second week of October and that we will open to the public as planned on October 25.
Why go through such an upheaval to create a restaurant that's going to be slightly smaller than the one that came before it?
The kitchen at Maõs was small and held us back to some extent. While it’s hard for a single restaurant to be profitable, the extension of the kitchen on the first floor and the creation of a bar area downstairs gives Cycene much stronger potential for business growth despite having fewer covers. The extra space will allow us to explore lunches and will make special events – including wine tastings, private diners and launches - for BMS clients more viable. We will also look at doing some off-site stuff.
What’s behind the name?
Cycene is an Old English word for kitchen. The name is a nod to the fact that the kitchen is at the very heart of the experience. One thing we’re retaining from Maõs is that every guest will start their meal in the kitchen and get to meet the chefs and see what's gone into the preparation of the things they are eating. Christie and I learned a lot with Maõs in terms of both mistakes but also what we got right.
Will the food style be similar?
The tasting menu at Maõs was an exploration of Eddie’s (Pellicano, Maõs’ executive chef) Singaporean and Italian roots. While Theo will be inspired by Asia to some extent, he is a British chef so his influences are different. There will be a focus on game when in season and the new aging room will allow us to get in whole animals. Those that have eaten at Maõs will find the food at Cycene to be distinct from what came before.
How did working with Theo Clench come about?
It was actually via Eddie. He introduced us for a possible project further down the line. I was aware he was a big talent and had excelled at Akoko and Portland. He ended up cooking a meal for us in the Maõs kitchen. He created a really elegant and beautiful menu but there also something about his personality, outlook and drive that Christie and I really responded to. We are quite instinctive when it comes to who we collaborate with. We had planned to take a break from running a restaurant at BMS, but before we knew it we were working on a new project.
How involved are you in the creative process for the food?
I taste and give feedback but it's not for me to dictate what does and doesn't go on the menu. Just like with Nuno (Mendes, Maõs’ original chef) and Eddie it's Theo's menu and I respect his vision. One of the biggest successes of Maõs, which I hope will be replicated at Cycene, is our focus on collaboration. We work with a wide range of creatives – including interior designers, furniture makers and ceramicists - to ensure that every aspect of the experience is right.
How much will the new menu cost?
£170, which is a little less than than Maõs. The price point will probably increase a little as we become more established. It's a high price tag, but we will have six chefs on a full-time salary and four front of house staff for fewer than 20 guests. We're also using the best produce we can get.
Will Cycene offer a single seating as Maõs did in its most recent iteration?
No. We will do three sittings. The people for the chef's table will arrive at 6.30pm and the main dining room will be split into two sittings, one at 7.15pm and one at 8pm. Getting everyone's attention all at the same time was challenging. It was difficult to get the temperature right when you're serving 15 or so plates at a time in a small space with just two front of house.
Maõs held a Michelin star and had a long wait list. Why close it?
Maõs happened off the back of a conversation with Nuno, who I have known for a long time. He was at Chiltern Firehouse and wanted to do something on a much smaller scale. We hadn't planned to open a restaurant at BMS but we ended up offering him the space anyway. We never expected it to achieve what it achieved or for demand to be so high – at one point we had 1,000 people on the waitlist. It outgrew the space and we achieved everything we wanted to with it creatively.
