Lumière is an acclaimed fine dining restaurant located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Jon and Helen Howe, the restaurant offers a modern British menu that emphasises seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.

Since its opening in 2009, Lumière has garnered numerous accolades, including a Michelin star, 4 AA Rosettes, and recognition as AA Restaurant of the Year for England.

The beginning

Helen recalled a time when her father instigated the conversation that started it all, she said: “My dad said, ‘If in 10 years you still want to buy a pub, I’ll help you - but first, get a proper job,' Ten years later, Jon and I were together, and the opportunity came up to buy a beautiful little freehold restaurant. We thought - why not? I was 28. What could possibly go wrong?

"When you’re young, you just think, ‘It’ll be fine.’ And somehow, it was.”

They didn’t set out to name the restaurant Lumière, but the name stuck - and quickly made sense, Helen added: “We agreed on very little when we took it on, so we just kept the name. But it works beautifully.

“It means ‘light’ in French, which fits us perfectly. The food is delicate, the space is calm - it just suits what we do. Some people think we’re a French restaurant because of the name. We’re not, but it does feel elegant.”

Seasonal Fine Dining, Redefined Daily

Their food philosophy is deeply rooted in seasonality - but not in the traditional sense, Jon added: “We call it seasonal fine dining. But it’s more than that - it’s truly about what’s best that day.

“We talk to our suppliers every single day and buy product based on quality, not convenience. We don’t have space to store much, so everything on the menu is fresh and built around what’s available. Not four seasons a year - more like four days. We change things constantly.

“We worked with some of the suppliers before we even bought the restaurant. We’re really guided by what they say is the best that they can get their hands on.”

Jon’s Creative Process in the Kitchen

Helen spoke with admiration about Jon’s dynamic style in the kitchen, adding: “His creativity is just incredible. 

“Some chefs spend 18 months developing a single dish. Jon creates in real time. He’s constantly adapting - tasting, tweaking, rebalancing. Sometimes a dish changes completely in a day.”

“It’s fascinating for the team to watch how his mind works. He pulls flavours together from nowhere - and somehow it always works.”

Staffing Realities in Modern Hospitality

Despite their success, staffing remains their biggest challenge, Helen added: “There’s a real lack of people who care deeply about the craft.

“We offer proper pay, proper hours, a share of tips, even 35 days off this year - but it’s still hard to find the right people.”

When asked about her proudest moment, Helen said: “We opened in the middle of a recession. Then Jon broke his ankle and we had to close for three months. We’ve been through a lot. But the fact we’re still here - that’s the proudest thing.

“All the accolades are amazing, but the real pride is running a solid business and still speaking to each other. That’s what we hold onto.

For Helen and Jon, growth doesn’t necessarily mean expansion, the pair added: “What we have now gives us a really lovely work-life balance. Expansion would mean losing that. We’d need a bigger brigade, longer hours, and one of us off-site. That’s not the dream."

Written by ABi Kinsella