Simon Hopkinson
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · British cuisine · b. 1954
British chef, food writer, and critic who pioneered modern British fine dining and authored 'Roast Chicken and Other Stories'.
Biography
Simon Charles Hopkinson was born in Greenmount, Bury, in 1954, the son of a dentist father and a mother who taught art at Bury Grammar School. Hopkinson started his culinary career at age 17 in the kitchens of Le Normandie in Birtle, near Bury, Lancashire, under the supervision of Yves Champeau. In 1978, he became the youngest chef to acquire an Egon Ronay Guide star with his restaurant The Shed in Dinas in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. He spent the next two and a half years as an Egon Ronay inspector.
He returned to London, and after a three-year stint as a private chef, he was installed at Hilaire, which opened in Old Brompton Road in 1983. A friendship with the Conrans led to the establishment of Bibendum in 1987, where he worked as chef and joint proprietor with Sir Terence Conran and Lord Paul Hamlyn. Bibendum was created out of the abandoned Michelin House on Fulham Road, which served as Michelin UK headquarters from 1911 to 1985. He left Bibendum in 1995 to devote his time to cookery writing. He published his first cookbook, Roast Chicken and Other Stories, in 1994, which won a Glenfiddich Food and Drink Award and was later named the 'Most Useful Cookbook of All Time' by Waitrose Food Illustrated magazine in 2005.
Cooking Philosophy
Simplicity, quality, and perfect technique applied to excellent ingredients. Simon Hopkinson believes that great cooking does not require complexity or pretense, but rather a deep mastery of fundamentals, respect for ingredient quality, and the discipline to resist over-embellishment. His approach celebrates classic British and French cuisine refined through precision and refinement.
Restaurants
- BibendumLondon (Michelin House, Fulham Road)
Co-founded 1987 with Terence Conran and Paul Hamlyn; chef and joint proprietor.
- HilaireLondon (Old Brompton Road)
Chef, opened 1983.
- The ShedDinas, Pembrokeshire, Wales
First restaurant; earned youngest Egon Ronay star (1978).
- Le NormandieBirtle, Lancashire
First job as apprentice chef at age 17.
Awards & Recognition
- Youngest Egon Ronay Guide star (1978, age 24)
- Glenfiddich Food and Drink Award (Roast Chicken and Other Stories)
- 'Most Useful Cookbook of All Time' — Waitrose Food Illustrated (2005, Roast Chicken and Other Stories)
- Recognition as influential British food writer and critic
Iconic Dishes
Cookbooks
- Roast Chicken and Other Stories (1994)
- The Prawn Cocktail Years (1997)
- Cooking Costs Less Than You Think (2006)
- Complete Works of Simon Hopkinson (2015)
In Simon's Own Words
“A perfectly roasted chicken is more important than a complicated dish made badly.”
— Cooking philosophy
“The best cookbook is one that teaches you principles, not just recipes. Then you can cook anything.”
— Food writing philosophy
Career Timeline
Begins culinary apprenticeship at Le Normandie at age 17.
The Shed earns Egon Ronay Guide star; becomes youngest chef to achieve this distinction.
Becomes Egon Ronay inspector; serves for 2.5 years.
Joins Hilaire restaurant as chef; opens on Old Brompton Road.
Co-founds Bibendum with Terence Conran and Paul Hamlyn in the historic Michelin House.
Leaves Bibendum to focus on food writing and culinary criticism.
Publishes Roast Chicken and Other Stories.
Publishes The Prawn Cocktail Years.
Roast Chicken named 'Most Useful Cookbook of All Time' by Waitrose.
Publishes Cooking Costs Less Than You Think.
Complete Works of Simon Hopkinson published; continues writing career.
Mentors & Influences
Frequently Asked Questions about Simon Hopkinson
What is Roast Chicken and Other Stories?
Roast Chicken and Other Stories (1994) is Simon Hopkinson's groundbreaking cookbook that teaches fundamental cooking principles and classic recipes. It won a Glenfiddich Award and was named the 'Most Useful Cookbook of All Time' by Waitrose Food Illustrated in 2005.
Why is Hopkinson significant?
Hopkinson became the youngest chef ever to receive an Egon Ronay Guide star in 1978 at age 24. He later co-founded Bibendum with Terence Conran, one of London's most important modern restaurants.
What is Bibendum?
Bibendum was established in 1987 in the historic Michelin House on Fulham Road, London, by Simon Hopkinson (chef), Terence Conran, and Paul Hamlyn. It became one of London's most celebrated modern restaurants.
Did Hopkinson cook professionally after 1995?
After leaving Bibendum in 1995, Hopkinson focused primarily on food writing, criticism, and cookbook authoring. He has been influential as a food writer and critic rather than as a practicing chef.
What is Hopkinson's cooking philosophy?
Hopkinson believes that great cooking stems from perfect technique applied to excellent ingredients, not from complexity. His philosophy celebrates simplicity, precision, and the mastery of fundamentals.
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