‘I’m serving Matthew Boulton’s Birmingham Soup in the city centre for winter - it tastes amazing’

He hit the headlines when he recreated the Brummie Bacon Cake to launch a new cafe in Birmingham city centre.

And B:Eats head chef Lee Hollington is delighted to bring back another classic Brummie dish to serve on the winter menu at the daytime cafe and pre-concert venue at Symphony Hall at the ICC.

Lee explained that the Birmingham Soup was first created by the city’s esteemed steam engine inventor Matthew Boulton who lived in the eighteenth century. It was especially designed to provide a cheap and nourishing meal during a time of poor harvest and the opening of soup kitchens. A hearty broth, it was full of stewed beef and vegetables and served with a slice of bread during the Industrial Revolution, which began in Birmingham.

Lee has kept the key ingredients of Boulton’s dish, while ensuring it’s packed with the goodness of today’s foods. It will be served on the winter menu at B:Eats which will also feature the Brummie Bacon Cake which Luke adapted from his grandfather’s recipe from his time as a chef in the army during World War II - including bacon, cheese, tomato ketchup and Worcester sauce.

Luke said: “We’re all really looking forward to launching our 2nd Winter menu here at B:Eats. There’s nothing better to warm you up on a Winter’s day than a hearty bowl of food, so I was really happy to be able to bring my own version of The Birmingham Soup to the cafe. Served alongside our infamous Brummie Bacon Cakes, we hope our loyal customers enjoy it just as much as I did creating it!”

The B:Eats winter menu features some 21st century classics alongside these traditional Brummie dishes. Additional new items on the lunchtime menu include Half-Pounder Cheese and Bacon Burger(two quarter pound beef burgers topped with cheese, streaky bacon, house burger sauce, lettuce, tomato and gherkins, all served within a toasted pretzel roll), Southern Fried Chicken Burger (Southern fried chicken breast, topped with hash brown, cheese, BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato and served in a toasted brioche bun).

The cafe will also be serving Roasted Cauliflower With Chickpeas(Indian inspired roasted cauliflower and chickpeas with red onion, baby leaf spinach and coconut milk yoghurt), Creamy Wild Mushroom Gnocchi(gnocchi with pan-fried wild mushrooms, shallots, baby leaf spinach, all served in a creamy Dijon sauce).

B:Eats is open Monday to Saturday from 11am - 4pm. The new winter menu launches on Monday, November 6. For more information, please visit: B:Eats cafe