Last week Holly and I met with are friends Neil and Amin for a good old chin-wag on the ski industry and some lunch in the sun in Battersea.  Hols, Neil and Amin reminisced about their 24 hours ski race back in January which sounded such fun, though more the eating and drinking side, than the middle of the night chairlifts alone.  They are trying to rope me in to it next year….

Lunch was swift and Neil quickly marched us off to The Duke of Cambridge pub for the England-Slovenia game where we got into the swing of things with Neil’s England ‘Dragon Hat’  which he found in his ‘Supporters Cupboard’ at home!  Goodness knows what else he has in there!!!

What a shame the game on Sunday didn’t go quite as well for England…  Fish&Pips are now supporting Argentina!

Our new website is live www.fishandpips.com!

After A LOT of to-ing and fro-ing and driving our website man up the wall, it’s finally up and we’re really pleased with it.  Have a look at our new Val chalets (excuse the old images, they don’t do the chalets justice in the slightest and we’re getting new ones in July) and Special Offers - we’re offering up to 15% off before the end of August.

Please let us know if there’s anything we’re missing or that we could do better or need to amend.  We want our website to be as user-friendly, clear and helpful as possible.

We hope you like it!

x

It was a sad week for F&P last week, we had to say farewell to our beloved Nicholas Payne who’s off back home to Newcastle, Oz with the lovely Serena.  He’s been an invaluable part of the F&P team for 3 yrs and will be sorely missed by all team members, guests, friends, Meribel, England and Ireland!

We met Nick 3 yrs ago at an interview in London.  He arrived with a very neat and tidy folder of CVs, menu plans and references, he was dressed in smart trousers and a shirt, fresh faced and with nice neat hair.  Wow we thought, what an organised and well-presented chap.  Not quite the shaggy haired, bleary eyed, Mutzig loving, jeans falling off the bottom, dog-eared receipt Nick that materialised in Meribel that we’ve all come to know and love!  We wouldn’t have him any other way now - his charm and hard-working spirit meant he more than pulled it off and went down a storm with every guest.

Not only did he impress us with his personality and enthuasism, but he more than knocked our socks off with his cooking, we can even remember what he cooked us that test meal - beetroot salad (how we can we possibly forget those big bright purple teeth of his, we didn’t have the heart to tell him!) and delicious salmon for main course.  He had the job there and then.  I think it was one of the best decisions F&P has ever made.

Without sounding too cheesey, it’s hard not to….Nick has given so much to Fish&Pips - lots of laughter and sillyness, enthusiasm for the mountain, an incredible ability to bring the team together, shown us the art of working well with a hangover and firework displays, pushed our F&P cuisine up to the next level, and he’s inspired us all with his professional hard-work and never whinging attitude which will hopefully remain with us at F&P for a long time.  The list could go on and on.  Paddles you should be very proud!

He’s not only been one of the best employees a company could ask for, but he’s become a really dear friend.  We’ll all miss him hugely, especially Abs (another shining star at F&P who will get her own dedicated blog soon!) who has worked with him so well and closely the past 3 yrs, and his partners in crime Kev and Vin (who we’re thrilled to have back for the 3rd year this winter).  On the positive side - as Philippa says it’s now a great excuse to come to Australia!

Have a really safe and bonza trip home  Nick and enjoy some time off before you get back in that kitchen again!  Best of luck with the future, we’re certain you’ll be huge success in whatever you turn your hand too.

Thank you so much for everything.  Lots of love Holly, Philippa and the rest of the F&P team xxx

Here’s some snippets of Nick from the past 3yrs in Meribel…….. (sorry Nicko!) x

A few words on Nick from the lovely Caroline - owner of Chalet Le Christophe…

”Nick.  What can we say….. Amazing chef.  Awesome fun.  Always smiling.  No task too small.  No request too tiresome.  And above all…phenominal pyrotechnician!! We’ll miss you!  Good luck!! xxx”