Simpsons Restaurant celebrates 25th anniversary

Michelin starred restaurant marks its milestone year

Simpsons restaurant in Edgbaston Village on the Calthorpe Estate, will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The restaurant, owned by chefs turned restaurateurs Andreas and Alison Antona and led by chef director Luke Tipping, first opened in Kenilworth in 1993 and secured its Michelin star in 1999. It was among the first in the Midlands to do so and still maintains the star today.

It is the longest standing restaurant in Birmingham to hold a Michelin star, the restaurant moved from Kenilworth onto the Calthorpe Estate in 2004. During 2015 it underwent an extensive refurbishment, which saw the extension of the main dining area, the creation of a outdoor seating area in addition to updating the décor of the Grade II listed building.

Since it opened Simpsons has been the training ground for many young chefs and restaurant professionals, many whom have moved on to run successful restaurants in their own right. Among the restaurant’s protéges are Adam Bennett, Andy Waters, Glynn Purnell, Jerry Toth, Marcus Eaves and Matt Cheal.

To celebrate, Simpsons will be hosting a series of events throughout the year which will include guest chef dinners with former Simpsons chefs, revisiting the most popular
dishes from the past 25 years, special offers, collaborations and masterclasses in Simpsons recently opened Eureka Kitchen.

The anniversary follows another great year for Simpsons. In 2017, it was ranked top Birmingham restaurant in both the Waitrose Good Food Guide and the Square Meal Top 100, Luke Tipping was awarded the British Culinary Federation’s Louis Cipolla Chef Award and Luke Turner won the Young Chef of the Year award.

Andreas Antona says, “25 years ago, Alison and I set out to create a family-run business that provided the best dining experience in the Midlands. Our ethos was to source the best quality ingredients, cook these with care and attention and serve in a friendly atmosphere. These values still hold true for us 25 years on and we are proud to have been and to remain a launch pad for many illustrious careers.”

To find out more or book a table at Simpsons, click here