Head chef Leo Kattou leaves Simpsons restaurant after 13 years
“We already feel like a little family and can’t wait to grow with our team.”
Chef to Watch: Leo Kattou, head chef at Simpsons: 'The grass isn't always greener on the other side'
Leo Kattou: 'As you do your day-to-day, you don't realise, but people do see you'
Leo Kattou of Simpsons crowned BCF chef of the year 2021
Meet the BCF Chef of the Year 2018 finalists: Leo Kattou
Leo Kattou has taken up the position of Head Chef at Laghi’s in Birmingham after leaving Simpsons earlier this year.
Leo announced his new role on social media following news that he had left the Michelin-starred Simpsons restaurant in July 2022.
Laghi’s is an independent neighbourhood Italian restaurant, offering high-quality fresh food, in a warm and welcoming setting.
Commenting on his new role via social media, Leo said: “The news is out and I’m super excited to start my new adventure as Head Chef at @laghisedgbaston.”
He added: “As long-time close friends, Luca and I are delighted to be collaborating, with the restaurant also having the phenomenal restaurant manager in the form of @charlcarter. We already feel like a little family and can’t wait to grow with our team.”
The restaurant provides hand-crafted and authentic dishes, with the team priding themselves in serving the best possible produce sourced both directly from Italy and locally.
Discussing his reasons for the move, Leo explained: “It was unexpected (as I’m sure it may be to some of you) but feels like the most natural transition for me. Our style and menu is an insight into our backgrounds; whether it’s locally sourced British or the finest Italian produce cooked with the classical flavours of the Mediterranean."
Welcoming guests to the restaurant, Leo added: “I can’t wait to share our vision and hopefully see you all very soon. Big love, Leo x”
During his time at the restaurant, he was encouraged by some of his higher-ups to put his knowledge to the test in some competitions - namely making it to the semi-finals of MasterChef: The Professionals 2017 and winning BCF's Chef of the Year 2021.
In these challenging times…
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
Support Us
CONTRIBUTE
“We already feel like a little family and can’t wait to grow with our team.”
Head chef Leo Kattou leaves Simpsons restaurant after 13 years
Chef to Watch: Leo Kattou, head chef at Simpsons: 'The grass isn't always greener on the other side'
Leo Kattou: 'As you do your day-to-day, you don't realise, but people do see you'
Leo Kattou of Simpsons crowned BCF chef of the year 2021
Meet the BCF Chef of the Year 2018 finalists: Leo Kattou
