Simon Hopkinson was born in Bury, Lancashire, and left school at the age of 17 to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Shortly before turning 21, he opened his first restaurant, the Shed, located near Fishguard. In 1983, he made his debut on the London dining scene as head chef at Hilaire on Old Brompton Road. He quickly earned a reputation as one of the most talented young chefs of his generation. His collaboration with Terence Conran led to the creation of Bibendum, which opened in 1987 in the renovated Michelin building. Hopkinson stepped away from full-time cooking in 1995 to focus on writing. In addition to Roast Chicken and Other Stories, his works include Gammon & Spinach (1998) and The Prawn Cocktail Years (1999). He also contributes a regular column to The Independent. His food writing has received widespread praise, earning him the André Simon Award and three Glenfiddich Awards.
