During his years at university, he experimented with different things, worked hard and played harder. After studying microbiology at Kent University, Philip Howard decided he didn’t want to pursue a career in the scientific field. Starting his early chef career in 1988 at Roux Restaurant, where he then eventually moved on from and trained with Marco Pierre White at Harvey’s as well as at Bibendum under Simon Hopkinson.
Image Credit: Jeremy.M.A.Rata/Elystan Street
Opening the Square restaurant in 1991 with Nigel Platts Martin, where he remained for 25 years, also holding two Michelin stars for 17 years. During this successful time, he was also dealing with a cocaine addiction which lead him to a dark era in his life as he describes “crash and burn”. Having dealt with the issues he faced, he managed to regain control of his life.
In 2016 Phil sold the Square so he could focus more on Kitchen W8 and his new venture, Elystan Street which is situated on a former Tom Aikens Restaurant site.
Elystan Street
The co-owner of Elystan Street, Rebecca Mascarenhas has worked with Phil Howard before. Branded the ‘powerhouse duo’ they have co-owned top restaurants in London; Kitchen W8 in Kensington and Sonny’s Kitchen, in Barnes. After Phil announced his departure from The Square in 2016, the duo decided to come together for another venture.
Speaking on Elystan Street, Phil describes it as less formal than the square, the authenticity of the restaurant is what Phil wishes to capture.
The exterior and interior space was fully renovated and redesigned by Clare Nelson Design. It now accommodates up to 64 in the restaurant, with a further 12 spaces located in a private dining room for special events.
Described as ‘wildly ambitious, wonderful cooking, delicious food, accessible’ by the chef himself, the restaurant offers two different lunch and dinner formats. Holding back on the canapes and petit fours, guests can enjoy a paired back menu with a ‘cleaner’ and ‘lighter’ lunch menu including a langoustine salad or a slightly ‘fuller’ dinner menu that includes roast grouse.
Speaking about the menu Phil said: “I really want to make sure it is effectively a menu that is pitched for who I see is going to be our most likely guests.”
Other interests
In 2012 Phil appeared on the seventh series of the popular BBC2 programme, the Great British Menu. Representing the South East and London, Phil won the fish course for his dish of Cornish mackerel with oysters, mussels, winkles and samphire.
In the same year, he also released his first cookbook, a two-volume tome of recipes from The Square which included dishes like lasagne of crab with a cappuccino of shellfish and a Champagne foam and braised veal cheek with hand-rolled macaroni, cauliflower and truffle.
Phil is also a judge for the S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition. The local jury for UK & Ireland is also made up of Angela Hartnett, Alyn Williams, and Mickael Viljanen.
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