Chef Sergio Herman’s Frites Atelier opens debut UK restaurant

A loaded fries concept founded by a top chef has opened its first UK restaurant in London.

Frites Atelier was launched in 2016 by Sergio Herman, who ran three-Michelin-starred restaurant Oud Sluis in the Netherlands until it closed in 2013, and entrepreneur Laurent Hompes.

It offers Dutch-style frites with toppings including parmesan and basil (£12.95), Flemish beef stew (£14.50) and sea nori (£13.95), with optional sauces of truffle, bearnaise and basil mayo.

After opening restaurants in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent and Roosendaal, the group has launched its first London restaurant in the former Balans Café site at 34 Old Compton Street in Soho.

The menu includes a Cheddar Supreme seasonal special, which is only available at Fries Atelier’s London site, alongside beer, wine and cocktails.

“London is a city that knows food and appreciates quality,” said 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.”

The Soho site will be open daily from midday and offer late-night dining until 3am from Wednesday-Saturday.