Phil Howard to open Elystan Street restaurant in former Tom Aikens site
Chef Phil Howard is to launch a new venture on the former site of restaurant Tom Aikens in Chelsea this September. The site, run in partnership with restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas, will be called Elystan Street.
It is the third restaurant to be unveiled by the pair who already co-own two other celebrated London venues, the one-Michelin-starred Kitchen W8 in Kensington, and Sonny's Kitchen in Barnes.
Howard and his business partner Nigel Platts-Martin sold the Square in Mayfair, where the chef had made his name, to MARC (Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation) in March after 25 years of trading. Having been awarded a Michelin star in 1994, the iconic restaurant held two Michelin stars consistently from 1998 onwards.
Commenting on the plans for Elystan Street, Howard, who won the Chef Award Catey in 1998, told The Caterer: "I have always liked the backwater of Chelsea Green and have long admired No 43 Elystan St. My time in the kitchens of Bibendum, albeit many years ago, demonstrated clearly that there is a clientele in South Kensington with reassuringly healthy appetite for delicious food.
"With this in mind I plan to put my many years of experience to good use by offering some truly wonderful cooking in a fresh, comfortable and accessible environment. I am hugely excited to be heading back to the heart of a kitchen and will focus on producing dishes which are, as always, ingredient lead, hugely pleasurable to eat and full of freshness and vitality - a simple progression of my natural style to ensure the food is in keeping with the wants of Londoners in 2016."
The exterior and interior space will be fully renovated and redesigned by Clare Nelson Design, and will accommodate up to 64 in the restaurant, and 12 in a private dining room.
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