American TikTok Star Reviews London's 'Best' Sunday Roast
Is there a more quintessentially British meal than the Sunday roast? For many, the perfect plate features succulent meat, crispy roast potatoes, fluffy Yorkshire puddings, seasonal vegetables, and rich gravy. An American TikTok influencer recently put this tradition to the test at a renowned London restaurant, delivering a mixed verdict that has sparked discussion online.
The Culinary Adventure at Fifty Cheyne
Kalani Smith, a TikTok content creator with over 3.3 million followers, along with his wife Savannah, visited Fifty Cheyne in Chelsea. The couple had heard this establishment serves "one of the best roasts in all of London." They opted for the sharing roast, which costs £49 per person, as reported by MyLondon.
Kalani documented the experience, detailing the components on his plate. "So, we've got our veg, we've got our roasties, carrots, I think that's cabbage, Hereford beef, chicken, and a piece of lamb," he remarked. He noted the Yorkshire pudding was "very well done" and planned to taste everything before adding the gravy.
Initial Impressions and the Gravy Moment
Starting with the beef, Kalani sliced into it and commented it looked "incredible." After tasting, he said, "That's a really good cut of beef, even with nothing on it." Moving to the roast potatoes, he praised their crispiness, calling them "very nice roasties."
The pivotal moment arrived when he poured the gravy. "Let's go ahead and make this a lot better," he declared, but immediately noted, "It's a little bit runnier, but let's try it out." As he enjoyed the meal, he humorously admitted, "This place is too posh for me Savannah. I can't eat right," creating a playful mess.
Dessert and Final Assessment
For dessert, Kalani chose sticky toffee pudding with ice cream. He found the sauce "very nice" but wished the cake was "a hair more moist," though he conceded it was "not bad" and better than expected. Ultimately, he rated it as a solid, middle-of-the-road sticky toffee pudding.
In his final thoughts, Kalani revealed the biggest disappointment was the gravy, which he admitted he was "not a fan of." He questioned the value, stating, "Would I pay 98 quid again for that? No. The beef was really nice, I really liked the beef. You can tell it's quality. If I were to come back I would probably just do the beef, I wouldn't do any of their other meats because the beef really stuck out to me, but the price point, it's just not worth it for me."
He did highlight positives, saying, "The roast potatoes were incredible, very good. The service was also incredible. They put a service charge on my bill, that's optional, I left it because they did such a good job. So props to the service, props to the roasties, props to the beef, but the gravy is just too watery."
Viewer Reactions and Broader Context
Viewers shared diverse opinions in the comments. One remarked, "Whilst the meat looks decent enough, the trimmings are lacking imo and not worth the £49 price tag." Another countered, "It is London, a pint of beer is like eight quid so I think it's fair enough."
Debates erupted over traditional accompaniments, with one user asking, "Where's peas and cauliflower cheese? I'd be livid!" while another asserted, "Neither belong on a roast." Some praised alternative venues, with comments like, "Feel like some of the best roasts I've had out have always been at tiny little country pubs in the middle of nowhere."
Another viewer emphasised home-cooked meals, stating, "With the utmost respect, you've never had a roast unless you've had it at someone's nan's house. I've never had a decent roast at any pub or restaurant. A roast needs to be made with love and care at home."
Fifty Cheyne holds a 4.3 out of five score on Tripadvisor and is featured in the Michelin Guide, underscoring its reputation. The restaurant was contacted for comment regarding the review.
