In an Instagram post, he said the honour was a ‘tremendous surprise’ and added that it recognised a career spent in an industry he has loved since childhood.
Antona added: “British hospitality is going through very challenging times, but it is still the strong, powerful and diverse industry that I’ve always felt so strongly connected to.”
Antona trained in Germany and Switzerland before working with leading chefs in the UK, including Anton Mosimann and the late Michael Quinn.
He founded Simpsons in 1993 in Kenilworth before relocating the restaurant to its current site in a Grade II-listed building in 2004. The restaurant has held a Michelin star since 1999.
Antona stepped back from day-to-day kitchen operations around 15 years ago to focus on restaurant ownership and development. He later launched The Cross in Kenilworth in 2013, which also achieved Michelin recognition under chef director Adam Bennett.
He has also played a key role in the UK’s participation in the Bocuse d’Or international culinary competition. In 2017, he founded the Bocuse d’Or UK Academy at the Houses of Parliament, supporting the training and development of the national team.
The Instagram post concluded with Antona reflecting on his time running Simpsons with Luke Tipping and Andy Waters, saying: “I would never have imagined that we would inspire, train and mentor so many successful chefs and front of house teams. Nurturing the next generation is one of my proudest accomplishments.”
Earlier this year, Simpsons was put up for sale via Christie & Co as Antona stepped back after more than 50 years in the industry, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on other projects. He has retained involvement with The Cross and SOKO Patisserie in Solihull, overseeing them on a part-time basis.