TOM'S STORY
Born and bred in the West Midlands, Tom's entrance into the culinary world was sparked by an unexpected twist of fate.
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In his teenage years, Tom's interests and passions leaned more towards sports and motorsport. But all that shifted at 18, when a trainee manager role at New Hall Hotel in Walmley led him into a professional kitchen, and under the mentorship of Head Chef Wayne Thompson, he discovered a passion and an aptitude for cooking that felt both surprising and completely natural.
"I fairly quickly felt like I'd found my calling. I owe Wayne a huge amount, he laid the foundation for my career and drilled into me that the kitchen works on respect, something that I’ve never forgotten."
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After three formative years at New Hall, Tom set his sights on new challenges, which led to him taking on subsequent roles of Sous-Chef at Swinfen Hall Hotel and later working his way up to the role of Sous-Chef at The Samling restaurant in the Lake District - another milestone moment in his career at 23 years old where he played a pivotal role in regaining The Samling's Michelin star in 2013.
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That first taste of Michelin-level cooking only deepened his appetite to grow and refine his skills, leading him to take on his next role as Sous-Chef at two-Michelin-starred Michael Wignall at The Latymer.
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“Michael is known for his incredibly detailed and technical cooking style, and I was eager to learn from that. I remember walking into the kitchen and being amazed by the luxurious and exotic ingredients he was using. The menus were extensive, 10 to 12 courses, and aesthetically the finesse and detail on his plating was just stunning.”
In 2015, after gaining invaluable experience under Wignall, Tom landed a role at the two-starred Restaurant Sat Bains, this time taking on the role of Development Chef — focusing on extracting maximum flavour from minimal ingredients.
“Sat had always been an idol for me, so when a post popped up on Instagram to say that he was looking for a chef to help extract every last ounce of flavour from each ingredient, I jumped at it, I just had to go for it. His approach was completely different to The Latymer—just four or five ingredients per dish rather than the 17 or 18, but each one pushed to its limit. Working alongside Sat and understanding how his mind approaches flavour was just incredible.”​​​
​In 2017, Tom moved back closer to his roots, taking on his first head chef role at the one Michelin-starred Adam's Restaurant in Birmingham. Throughout his time with Adam's, which was just short of 3 years, he successfully retained the restaurant's Michelin star and three AA Rosettes.
His achievements were further acknowledged in 2018 when he received the prestigious Acorn Award, celebrating the top 30 hospitality professionals under 30.​
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In late 2019, Tom made the decision to leave Adam's in pursuit of opening his first solo venture. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought significant delays and uncertainty to his plans. Rather than lose momentum, Tom used this period to refine his concept and connect with the local community through his meal kit service, Dine at Home with Tom Shepherd. The initiative was met with enthusiastic support, both locally and across the UK. It not only kept him active in the kitchen but also helped build excitement and anticipation for the launch of his upcoming restaurant.​​​​
In October 2021, Tom fulfilled a lifelong ambition by opening his own restaurant, Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, located above his father's jewellery shop in Lichfield. At Upstairs, Tom has realised his dream by creating a refined but relaxed dining experience with modern British tasting menus, emphasising seasonal and local produce with subtle influences from Japan and East Asia.
Remarkably, just four months after opening, Upstairs was awarded a Michelin star in 2022, marking the first such accolade for Staffordshire. In the last three years, Tom, alongside Head Chef Michael Blades, have proudly retained their star and have been awarded several other prestigious awards including, three AA Rosettes, the Catey Newcomer Award, Craft Guild of Chefs New Restaurant of the Year Award, and ranking no. 46 at the National Restaurant Awards Top UK 100. ​​​​
