Located on Old Compton Street, the opening marks the premium chip brand’s entry into the UK market almost a decade after it was first mooted.
Frites Atelier launched in Amsterdam in 2016 as a partnership between entrepreneur Laurent Hompes and three-Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman with claims that it produces ‘the best frites in the world’. It has since opened sites in major cities including Brussels and Antwerp.
The brand offers a refined take on Dutch-style frites made using a double-cooking method developed by Herman and his team. The menu at Soho launches with four signature Frites Specials: cheddar supreme, which is exclusive to London; Flemish beef stew, parmesan and basil, and sea nori.
They are accompanied by a selection of in-house sauces, including truffle, andalouse, béarnaise and basil mayo.
“London is a city that knows food and appreciates quality,” says Herman.
“Bringing Frites Atelier to Soho allows us to introduce our take on Dutch frites to a new audience and show what happens when you apply serious culinary thinking to something many consider simple.”
Back in 2017 Herman said he intended to bring the brand to the UK and had instructed property agents to look for central London sites.
Herman was chef-patron at three-Michelin starred restaurant Oud Sluis, which closed at the end of 2013.