Award-winning chef Aaron Turner fires up at Geelong's Igni

In a former Geelong electrical goods showroom Aaron Turner will again ignite diners' passions when he opens Igni on January 20.

The chef, whose produce-driven Drysdale restaurant Loam was The Age Good Food Guide 2012's Regional Restaurant of the Year, has teamed up with former Loam colleagues Drew Hamilton and Jo Smith on the 30-seat restaurant, where the focus will be on the open kitchen's charcoal grill.

They've given the space a muted grey colour scheme, with a wooden bar, polished concrete floors and comfortable chairs and bar stools.

The degustation menu, from five courses for $100, will showcase whatever is available on the day.

"There isn't a menu as such," says Turner, who has previously worked in Noma in Denmark and El Celler de Can Roca in Spain. "We will create a menu based on a conversation we have with the guests. This allows us to be flexible with small producers and quantities and the guest gets a real bespoke experience – plus we get to have a lot of fun."

He has been collaborating with Drysdale Cheeses on a cheese wrapped in pork fat and hay. "It's nice to have the relationship and connection to be able to do those sorts of things."

Events with guest chefs will also feature. First up on January 24 is Luke Burgess, of Sydney's 10 William Street, with James Viles (Biota) and David Moyle (Hobart's Franklin) in successive months. All restaurant bookings are taken online.

Igni is Turner's second Geelong project. Since parting ways with Morgan McGlone of Belle's Hot Chicken in Fitzroy he has also been involved in the Hot Chicken Project, a similar Nashville-style hot chicken and natural wine diner, which is expanding into the shop next door to 84A Little Malop Street.

Igni will be open Saturday and Sunday noon-2pm and Wednesday to Saturday 6-9pm.

2 Ryan Place, Geelong 03 5222 2266 restaurantigni.com