Upstairs at the Grill: A New Chapter
As Upstairs at the Grill approaches 25 years in Chester, new Head Chef Josh Robbins is bringing fresh energy to one of the city’s best-known dining rooms - respecting its steakhouse heritage while quietly introducing a new level of provenance, theatre and ambition
WORDS: Laura Jones
IMAGE: Georgia Grossman
For Josh Robbins, taking the helm at Upstairs at the Grill feels a little like coming full circle. Long before he led the kitchen, he knew it as a guest.
“I’ve always had a real soft spot for it,” he says. “It’s my dad’s favourite restaurant, and I have really fond memories of coming here for birthdays, particularly my 16th and 18th. I’d walk past and think, I’d love to be behind that one day.”
Now, as the Chester institution approaches its 25th anniversary, Robbins is helping shape its next chapter.
His own journey into food started, somewhat unexpectedly, at home. With busy parents, he began cooking family dinners after being inspired by Jamie Oliver’s 15-Minute Meals. He eventually traded a planned law degree at Liverpool University for an apprenticeship, setting him on a path through some highly regarded kitchens, including The Grosvenor in Chester.
Along the way, he worked with chefs including Phil Howard, someone Robbins describes as “an idol”, and learned that the best kitchens are about far more than what arrives on the plate.
“Professionalism is huge for me,” he says. “It’s about every element of the kitchen - the food, obviously, but also how you communicate, how you lead and how you treat every member of the team.”
At Upstairs at the Grill, that thinking translates into evolution rather than reinvention.
“Upstairs has always been about steak, and the menu was already fantastic,” he says. “I just saw opportunities to elevate what was there.”
Central to that is a new heritage steak range celebrating British farming and heritage cattle. One headline dish is a fillet on the bone, a nod to a cut that appeared on the restaurant’s original menu almost 25 years ago.
There is also a honey-cured fillet finished at the table with a bone marrow flambadou, introducing a little extra theatre while keeping the focus firmly on the quality of the beef.
Robbins’ approach is deliberately restrained.
“With really good steak, it’s about doing the best you can with the produce,” he explains. “We cook simply over charcoal, and we’ve been experimenting with grill set-ups to develop an even better crust. You want the beef to be the star.”
The menu is broadening too, with great emphasis on fish and vegetarian dishes, recognising that the modern Upstairs at the Grill experience is about much more than steak alone.
That experience remains just as important as the cooking. Guests can choose their own steak knife, finish with indulgent chocolate cones, and signature celebration boxes designed for birthdays and anniversaries - small touches that reflect the restaurant’s long-standing role in Chester’s special occasions.
And while Robbins is careful not to disrupt what loyal diners already love, there is a sense that more is coming.
His philosophy is simple: “Don’t fix what isn’t broken. Instead, look at what you can elevate and ask how you can make it better every time somebody comes back.”
As for the ambition?
“I want every guest to leave thinking it’s the best restaurant in Chester.”
After almost 25 years, Upstairs at the Grill isn’t trying to become something entirely new. Instead, it is sharpening what it already does best - with a few surprises still to come.
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