Andreas Antona’s early years were spent working in kitchens in Germany and Switzerland, providing him with excellent training. Since then, he has worked with some of the biggest names in the chef world, including Michael Quinn MBE, Britain’s first celebrity chef and Anton Mosimann OBE.

He left London to work in the Midlands and it was in the renowned Plough and Harrow in Birmingham where he began winning international acclaim.

In 1993, Andreas opened his first restaurant Simpsons in Kenilworth and was among the first restaurants in the area to win a Michelin star.

Andreas left the kitchen to focus on life as a restaurateur and took over The Cross in Kenilworth in 2013, he is also part of the team behind Pure Bar & Kitchen in Birmingham.

It could be said that Luke Tipping entered the chef profession by mistake when his father found him a job at the Plough and Harrow – a once renowned hotel restaurant in Birmingham. It was during his time there that he met Andreas Antona. After five years at the Plough, Luke moved on to set up Simpsons in Kenilworth with Andreas, the restaurant achieved a Michelin star in 1994. Ten years later, the team set up a second, larger restaurant in a grade II listed building in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Within just one year, Simpsons Birmingham had achieved a Michelin star which it maintains today. In 1999, Luke was awarded the first ever Midlands Chef of the Year Award. He received a Professorship of Culinary Arts by University College Birmingham in October 2010, in recognition of his efforts in promoting the next generation of kitchen stars. Luke is always looking for fresh inspiration and only ever uses the very best seasonal produce.

Aubrey Allen

Channel Fisheries

Flying Fish

Goodfellow and Goodfellows

Harvey and Brockless

Ritter Courivaud

Sauce Fine Foods

Studio William

Westlands Wow