Meet the Team

We are supported every year by a fantastic team, meet them here...

Our Fish&Pips team 2012-13 is slowly taking shape. Watch this space for some new (and some old!) faces that will make up the new team!

Philippa Hartley - Director, Devon

Philippa 'Pips' can't quite believe F&P is starting it's 7th winter - where has time gone?! Normally found at her desk in Devon speaking to guests, selling holidays and holding the purse strings - this winter has brought a whole new adventure for Philippa. With the arrival of baby Ned in October 2011 Philippa has been busy with lots of new challenges and spending time with her new family.

Holly Fisher - Director, Les Allues & Alderney

Holly - the 'Fish' spends the winter in Meribel, keeping F&P running over in France, visiting all our guests who come out to resort with Fish & Pips. Holly's summers are spent running her second business The Georgian House - a successful restaurant, pun and hotel on Alderney in the Channel Islands. Look out for Holly on the slopes around Meribel and Val d'Isère and expect to see her for a canapé or two during your stay with Fish & Pips.

Babs Allen, F&P Sales, Devon

Having spent several seasons in the Alps (Val d'Isère and Verbier), Babs decided to lay her routes in Devon just around the corner from F&P HQ. This is her 2nd year aboard the F&P team and she will be busy selling holidays, ensuring everybody is organised for their holiday and answering any queries you have. In keeping with F&P foodie values, Babs has a serious penchant for shellfish and in her spare time runs www.salcombefinest.com selling delicious Salcombe crab, oysters and scallops!

Clare Truphet - Meribel Manager

Now living year round in Meribel, Clare looks after the Meribel guests and chalets during the winter season, whilst trying to make the most of the snowier side of things. In the summer she works with Holly and Philippa getting things ready for the coming season and dealing with all things related to our operations here in France. She is excited about getting stuck in to her third winter with F&P, working with a great team yet again, and looking after lots of repeat and some new guests.

Emily Mayne - Chalet Host, Meribel

Having been a grown-up for 18 months in London trying to tackle serious questions about my future, the only answer I got was that a desk job is not yet for me. I have had so much fun in London, but I am fortunate to have my health and my youth and want to take full advantage of this by cracking on with some adventures! And what better place to start than back in the place that makes me happiest, and as one cog in the Fish Machine. I am so proud to once again be a member of the F&P team and look forward to meeting more amazing guests, (maybe) learning to snowboard, and being crowned champion of the (now) Annual Chocolate Face Race Challenge.

Lucy Collins - Chalet Host, Meribel

After graduating from UCL in 2011 with a degree in Human Sciences and a desire to work in the charity sector, I packed my rucksack and headed off to Bolivia to work for three months. This was followed by two amazing months of travelling that saw me spend New Year in Cusco, Peru and my birthday on a beach (quite the novelty in January!). On returning to England I started an internship at Cancer Research UK but couldn't shake the nagging urge to leave again. It dawned on me that before I got too bogged down in the search for my 'career', whatever that may end up being, I had to fill a life-long dream of completing a ski season and I can think of nowhere better than Meribel - the resort where I was first strapped to a pair of skis aged 3 and told to get on with it. I can't wait to meet the rest of the Fish&Pips team and get stuck into what will no doubt be an incredible few months.

Liz O'Hagan - Chalet Host, Meribel

After five years of studying in University in Dublin, I finally graduated with a Masters in Pharmacy in November 2011. However, unlike my fellow classmates, I swiftly changed paths and followed my lifelong dream, which was to do a ski season! I worked as a chalet host last season and fell in love with the resort of Meribel; from the fantastic and vast ski area of The Three Valleys, to the abundance of live music and apres ski which is ever present. On returning home to Ireland to begin working in the real world as a pharmacist in April 2012, I soon realized how much I loved and missed my first season in Meribel. I am thrilled and excited about joining the Fish & Pips team for the coming season and being the "token Irish" member (bring on the 6 nations matches!!). I look forward to meeting all of the other members of staff, and future guests.
Á bientot,
Liz.

Jed Hornyold - Chalet Host, Meribel

Sports have always been a large part of my life, snowboarding being my most rewarding. I find myself fortunate to be in a position where my profession links with my passion. I have always worked within hospitality, it has always given me an opportunity to meet new people and be part of what I hope to be a memorable experience. This winter I shall be embarking on my fifth season and I'm sure it will prove to be my best yet, which is a high bar to set. See you in Meribel!

Nicky Clode - Chalet Host, Meribel

I am very excited about returning to the mountains for what will be my 4th season. Having taken a break from it all last year I quickly realised this was a mistake and began looking for work as soon as last winter was over! From working for Mickey mouse in Florida, to making bagels in the Canadian Rockies: I have had an incredible number of opportunities to work in some of the most incredible locations, but the French Alps have something special! I cannot wait to get back out there and be a part of the Fish and Pips team.

Peter Gray - Chef, Meribel

We are thrilled to be welcoming back Pete for a third season with Fish & Pips. He has delighted us all with his culinary talents in Chalet du Guide and will continue to do so for another winter. After spending the summer in the sunny islands of Greece cooking and scuba diving he will be swapping the gas tank for his snowboard once more! Always very enthusiastic about snowboarding Pete is nearly always to be found up the mountain when not in the du Guide kitchen, we hope he enjoys his third season with F&P as much as the other two.

Duncan Smith - Chef, Meribel

I started working in kitchens, as a dishwasher when I was 18 years old, funding a trip around Australia. This defined my primary interests as food, travel and (several years later) snowboarding. That glimpse into culinary life proved addictive and I have been lucky enough to combine it with my two other main interests time and time again. Since those days of scraping plates and avoiding flying crockery I've managed to fit in a degree in International Politics, six winter seasons cooking in Europe, New Zealand and Canada, and several summer seasons in restaurants in the Channel Islands, Cornwall, the Scottish highlands and the Rocky Mountains. Having chosen to stay in Edinburgh last winter I'm dead keen to get back to the snow, and am looking forward to chatting to the people eating my food again!

Simon Haywood - Chalet Chef, Meribel

I soon realised after a year at Exeter University studying Archaeology that it wasn't what I wanted to do. It only took a little bit of nudging in the right direction by my brother and I had soon found my way to my two biggest passions, cooking and the mountains. I've spent my last five winter seasons working in hotels in the three valleys and during the summers I've worked my way up to sous chef in a small and busy chain of gastro pubs in Kent. I'm very excited to be joining the Fish and Pips team and look forward to seeing you all in Meribel this winter.

Lucy Wigglesworth - Chalet Chef, Meribel

I come from a very foody family and have always been very interested food. My mum used to be a chef but although I've always been passionate about food, I'd never considered it as a career. I think maybe because I wanted to make my own way rather than following in my mum's footsteps. I realised this was a huge mistake and now I can't imagine doing anything else, I feel lucky that I have a job that I absolutely love. I am currently in London working two jobs, in a one starred restaurant in Marylebone and in a private house in Hampstead. But I can't wait to get out to the alps, the start of the season can't come round soon enough!!

Ben Arnott - Chalet Chef, Meribel

After moving to the Scottish Highlands from Yorkshire in 2007 and learning to ski and snowboard in the wind and rain and often on rocks, heather and mud I finally decided to do a ski season abroad last year in the French Alps and could not believe how good it was. Well before the end of the season I knew that I would be back to experience more of the amazing snowsports areas and conditions France has to offer. I have been working as a chef for many years now cooking various types of cuisine and in various locations back in Yorkshire, in the Scottish Highlands and last winter in the French Alps including some award winning fine dining restaurants, one of which I have been at for the summer. I am really looking forward to working for Fish and Pips, cooking some amazing food for the clients, meeting the clients and staff and of course, getting the skis and snowboard out of reluctant hibernation! Bring on the winter!

Tom Lane - Driver, Meribel

This will be my fourth season in Meribel and I have no plans to stop anytime soon! I love the perfect balance of the small town atmosphere, wide range of facilities available, beautiful scenery and the extensive skiing area. Hopefully the snow will be as amazing as it was last year. I can't wait to start to start work with the Fish and Pips team and help to build on the already excellent reputation the company has.

Holly Richardson - Resort Manager, Val d'Isère

Having worked as a Chalet Host for Fish & Pips last year, I am thrilled to be returning to Val d'Isère this season. I have a background in both hospitality and pharmaceutical sales but decided to pursue my ambition of doing a ski season last year and have not looked back since. I love everything about mountain life and look forward to sharing my passion for skiing and Val d'Isère with guests and the new F&P team!

Fiona Taylor - Chalet Host, Val d'Isère

After 7 years working in Events and Marketing in and around London, I am currently taking the career break I always planned but never previously took. I've loved skiing since the age of 8 years old and therefore always wanted to spend a season in a resort such as Val d'Isère. I'm an active person and love the outdoors, but I can't wait to hang up my running trainers and replace them with ski boots! I'm really looking forward to meeting you all and helping you have a fantastic holiday!

Daisy Corfield - Chalet Host, Val d'Isère

I am graduating from the University of Nottingham and I am really looking forward to getting over to the Alps and joining the Fish & Pips crew. I studied French for four years so I am so pleased to have the chance to go back and to start a new adventure in France. I cannot wait to meet lots of new people and to get in some skiing practice, as well as reuniting myself with French food, for which I have an over-enthusiastic love for!

Gareth Stevens - Chalet Chef, Val d'Isère

I have always been interested in food and flavours but it wasn't until I moved to Cornwall, where being surrounded by exceptional ingredients inspired me to go for it in professional kitchens. It's been a fast paced journey now where I find myself in an established hotel looking out to the Atlantic. However the French alps have always been on my 'to do' list and finally I'm heading over to work for an exciting company, in a superb location to cook awesome food, snowboard daily and make some new friends. Sounds perfect!

Ashley Phillips - Chalet Chef, Val d'Isère

After a brief 3 year adventure across Australia and New Zealand I decided to head back to the UK. I enrolled in a cookery college in the Midlands in order to follow my passion for cooking. After a year I decided to head to the Cornish coast to continue my cookery courses. For the last 3 years I have been trying to learn the art of surfing whilst working in a multi award winning hotel a stone's throw away from the beach. With many ski trips and a season in Australia behind me it's time I got back on the snow and found a new adventure and challenge for myself.

Rebecca Anderson - Chalet Chef, Val d'Isère

My first food memory is one of standing on a chair and helping my mum bake cakes at the tender age of three. Despite going on to study at university, it was at this point I felt my future could be in food when I'd spend more time in the kitchen than studying, and embarked on a ski season to hone my cooking skills after graduation. This was followed by two more winters in Avoriaz, with summers in Switzerland and Scotland. I am joining the team having just spent a year working in a pastry section of a vineyard restaurant in New Zealand. On my way home, I spent 3 months eating my way through South East Asia, trying many weird and wonderful foods as well as attending a few cooking schools to pick up new skills which I am excited to recreate for staff and guests this season.

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"From our experience Fish&Pips has provided us with the perfect ski holiday package"

Vanessa Taperell, March 2009