MICHELIN AWARD TWO BIB GOURMANDS AND ‘YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR’ TO BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANTS

1 / 4
MICHELIN AWARD TWO BIB GOURMANDS AND ‘YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR’ TO BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANTS
The Relationship

The Relationship

Other 12th February 2025
The Relationship

MICHELIN AWARD TWO BIB GOURMANDS AND ‘YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR’ TO BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANTS

Valenzuela-Heeger has earned the ‘Michelin Young Chef of the Year’ title. Whilst Riverine Rabbit in Stirchley and Tropea in Harborne received a Bib Gourmand at the 2025 Michelin Guide Awards.


A Stirchley chef, known for running a popular 12-seat restaurant, has been crowned the Michelin Young Chef of the Year for 2025. Ash Valenzuela-Heeger, the talent behind Riverine Rabbit on Pershore Road, received the award during a ceremony held in Glasgow on Monday, February 10.


The restaurant was also awarded a Bib Gourmand - a Michelin distinction awarded to restaurants offering ‘exceptional food at an affordable price.’ Inspectors praised the restaurant’s ‘friendly service’ and ‘flavour-packed dishes,’ noting its ‘budget-friendly pricing’ as a bonus. Chef Ash Valenzuela-Heeger proudly delivers her dishes from behind a kitchen counter, and her wife, Dr. Erin Valenzuela-Heeger leads the friendly service, offering a prix fixe menu inspired by Ash’s South African roots.


When asked about the award win, Ash and Erin said: ‘We’re honoured to receive such a prestigious award and Ash being named Michelin Young Chef of the Year is the icing on the cake! We’re proud to be a part of Birmingham’s reputation as a go-to culinary destination.”


Tropea, an intimate neighbourhood restaurant and bar co-owned by Ben Robinson Young and Kasia Piatkowska, was recognised for its ‘flavourful, fuss-free Italian sharing plates,’ ‘buzzing atmosphere,’ and “friendly service.’ Michelin Inspectors highlighted the homemade pasta dishes as a particular standout.


Speaking about their Bib Gourmand, Ben and Kasia said: “To be awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand means so much to us as it represents what we hoped Tropea would become: a restaurant that serves great food, that’s good value, cooked with care and served with love.”


Riverine Rabbit is at 1464 Pershore Road, Stirchley. Bookings can be made at: www.riverinerabbit.co.uk/reservations


Tropea is at 27&33 Lordswood Road B17 9RP, Harborne.
Bookings can be made at: www.tropea.uk/reservations

comments

There are no comments yet.

You could be commenting on this if you had an account! Click here to sign up.
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.

Create post