Two Michelin star restaurant The Square sold

Chef Phil Howard and his business partner Nigel Platts-Martin have sold their two Michelin-starred restaurant The Square on Bruton Street in Mayfair.

Phil Howard

As reported by Big Hospitality, the pair sold the popular two star venue to Marlon Abela, owner of The Greenhouse and Umu, also in Mayfair.

Howard and Platts-Martin have owned The Square since 1990. Under its new owner, all staff are due to keep their jobs and the restaurant will keep its current identity.

Sous chef Dan Fletcher will take over as head chef following the departure of head chef Gary Foulkes earlier this month.

“I have always admired The Square’s strong commitment to modern fine dining, devotion to quality and the use of the finest, locally-source British ingredients,” Abela told Big Hospitality.

“The teams approach to rigorous seasonality, passion for wine and dedication to delivering service excellent is in line with our core values,” he added.

Abela, owner of the Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation (MARC), also recently acquired the majority stake in Green’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar in St. James’s.

Platts-Martin meanwhile, has a stake in The Ledbury in Notting Hill, Chez Bruce in Battersea and La Trompette in Chiswick.

The Square has maintained two Michelin stars for the last 19 years. Prior to The Square, Howard worked at Bibendum in Chelsea and Marco Pierre White’s Harveys in Wandsworth.

Known as a “chef’s chef”, Howard has appeared on BBC series The Great British Menu in 2012, whose website describes his influence on the catering industry as “immeasurable”.