FȲR at White City House: A new pop-up restaurant by Soho Chance winner, Talia Prince

Three of Talia Prince's dishes at White City House served on blue and white plates with a glass of white wine on one side and a glass of Prosecco on the other

Soho Chance is our new annual award that gives people the opportunity to launch a business, creative concept, product or interior design project. Here, we catch up with the winner of our restaurant category to talk about her takeover at our west London outpost

By Gisselle Babaran    Photography by Issy Croker

Having spent 20 years at some of the industry’s top institutions, Talia Prince’s culinary repertoire stands tall among the talents found in London’s Michelin-star kitchens. Classically trained and technically accomplished, the South African-born chef began her career at the internationally acclaimed La Colombe in Cape Town. 

After three years cooking under the helm of celebrated chef Franck Dangereux, Prince relocated to the UK, where she went on to hold positions at the two Michelin-starred Le Gavroche and Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire. These days, Prince can be found over the robata or asado grill at White City House, heading up FȲR – the new open-fire restaurant concept she founded last year.
 
The chef’s pop-up takes inspiration from the South African braai – the practice of cooking over fire. ‘It’s what I grew up with,’ says Prince. ‘We cook everything on a fire in South Africa: fish, vegetables, meat – even fruit.’
 
Prince has conceived a new menu for FȲR’s three-month residency. ‘I think a lot of chefs are incredibly skilled and technically knowledgeable, but for me it’s also really important to be creative,’ she says. ‘That’s what I enjoy. I evolved my own style of cooking by just exploring the things I love to eat and love to feed to others.’ 

One of Talia Prince's dishes at White City House served in a blue bowl on a table that is bathed in sunlight
One of Talia Prince's dishes at White City House served on a white plate on a table that is bathed in sunlight

‘I think a lot of chefs are incredibly skilled and technically knowledgeable, but for me it’s also really important to be creative.'

The menu also reflects Prince’s cultural heritage, and most importantly, the happy food memories of her childhood: in particular, the Milk Tart and Walkie Talkie (appearing in croquette form). Named in accordance to the parts they’re made from (walkie for feet, talkie for head), Prince opts for pork rather than the more widely used chicken, resulting in a richer, stickier centre. 

The milk tart closely resembles an egg custard tart, but with a heavier milk ratio, and with cinnamon embedded into the pastry instead of sprinkled on top. The triumph of these dishes lies in the twists and tweaks that refine and elevate them, while retaining the flavour profiles that make them so memorable.

It’s clear to see that Prince cares about the quality of the food she serves, which starts with her commitment to sourcing sustainable produce where possible. For the menu’s standout beef fillet dish, for example, the meat is sourced from a dairy farm. ‘When dairy cows get too old to be milked or have calves, they normally become waste,’ says Prince. ‘Now, by taking inspiration from the Spanish beef industry, farmers are putting them out to pasture. The meat that comes from that is incredible – it’s a very tender cut, but it’s also super marbled with fat, so it’s just really delicious. Some of the best meat I’ve ever tasted and quite special.’

Two of Talia Prince's dishes at White City House served on a blue plate and a white plate on a wooden table that is bathed in sunlight
Three of Talia Prince's dishes at White City House served on blue and white plates with a glass of white wine on one side and a glass of Prosecco on the other
Two glasses bathed in sunlight. One is a glass of white wine and the other is an old fashioned

Curbing waste is also reflected through the wine pairings, an intentional decision made by Prince and White City House’s bar manager. Prince explains the difficulty South African vignerons experienced during lockdown when the government banned alcohol sales in the country and internationally. As a result, vineyard owners still have a large backlog of wine to sell.
 
With a menu full of culinary excitement, creative flair and sustainable sourcing, it’s no wonder Prince was chosen as the winner of last year’s Soho Chance award in the restaurant category. The head of Soho House’s social responsibility initiatives, Jamila Brown, explains why Prince was chosen: ‘She is extremely talented. The Soho Chance team found her food to be completely next level. Supporting female chefs has been a long-standing value for Soho House. For years, we’ve used programmes like Cookhouse, Soho Apprenticeship and our member event programming to champion women leading our teams in the kitchens. Talia Prince, with all of her skills, drive and passion, is a chef that not only deserved a chance, but acts as an embodiment of the talent that can be brought to the forefront when we work together to remove barriers for creatives.’

Talia Prince in her chef's uniform sat at a dark wood circular table with her arms crossed on the table top. She is in the bottom right hand side of the frame and is smiling to the left. There is a dark blue curtain backdrop behind her
Talia Prince's hand serving dark pink ice cream on top of a beautifully presented dessert

For bookings, click here. To find out more about Soho Chance or to apply, click here. To watch the Live Room, click here.

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