‘Au revoir and good bye’: Phil Howard closes French ski resort restaurant

Chef Phil Howard has closed his seasonal restaurant Union at La Plagne Montalbert ski resort in Mâcot-la-Plagne, France, after seven years of trading.

The restaurant, located near Howard’s chalet, was launched by the Elystan Street chef patron and his friend of 30 years, La Plagne local Martin Cucheti, in 2017.

It remained open between December and April each year but the chef revealed it has closed its doors for the final time this month.

Howard posted on Instagram: “Well, that’s a wrap. UNION has served its final guests….. In the end BREXIT made the pain of running this brilliant little restaurant even greater than the joy for the months of the year it was open. Those who voted to rob us the opportunities to work freely in Europe brought about changes that killed this little dream. The name says it all…..a restaurant conceived and named just after the referendum. It seemed all too appropriate to call a collaboration between and Frenchman and a Brit UNION.

“Huge thanks to my partner @martincucheti and to all the amazing people who worked at our little Alpine outpost over the years. We made memories, great ones…..and many of them. @plagne.montalbert was lucky to have the heartbeat of this little restaurant. It’s been a privilege and a blast. Merci, thank you, au revoir and good bye!”

The restaurant was described by the Michelin Guide as “heroically wondrous and uplifting”, serving dishes such as “twice cooked” Beaufort soufflé, sautéed leeks and mushrooms, and upside-down tarte tatin with Chantilly cream.

In 2022, Howard launched his flagship Notto restaurant in London’s Piccadilly, which was followed by a Covent Garden opening the following year.

Prior to launching the Notto restaurants, Howard spent his early years working under Marco Pierre White at Harveys. He has held a Michelin star at his Elystan Street restaurant in Chelsea since 2017 and had previously maintained two Michelin stars at the Square in Mayfair for 17 years before selling the site in 2016.