The Legacy of Lidice in Michelin - November 2024

Dany Ludvíková
Nov 2, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Jan 10

In today’s article, I would like to tell you a little bit about Birmingham, a city that has been my home for over four years.

Birmingham is famous for its extensive canal system, which was crucial during the Industrial Revolution. Today, the city has around 56 kilometers of canal pathways that wind through the city and its surroundings. The most famous canal route is the Birmingham Canal Navigations, which once connected Birmingham to other towns and industrial centers. Nowadays, it's primarily used for recreation. You can take a ride on small boats, many of which feature cozy onboard cafés, and around the canals, there are pleasant restaurants and walking paths perfect for a lovely stroll.

During World War II, Birmingham became a major target for the German Luftwaffe due to its industrial significance. The city endured heavy bombing, particularly during the Birmingham Blitz in 1940 and 1941, which caused widespread damage. Many of the historic buildings were destroyed or severely damaged. As a result, much of the city had to be rebuilt after the war, which is why there are relatively few historical buildings left in their original form. Many of those that stand today were reconstructed based on their original designs, serving as a reminder of Birmingham's resilience and its rich past.

As for the connection between Lidice and Birmingham, the Lidice tragedy resonated with the global community, and Birmingham was no exception. Local residents and city officials contributed through collections to help rebuild Lidice after the war. The memory of Lidice is still preserved in Birmingham, and each year the story of Lidice is remembered in a memorial garden called Lidice Garden, located in Cannon Hill Park. As a Czech woman with roots in Lidice, this warms my heart. I sometimes take walks through Cannon Hill Park and feel a sense of pride when I hear people from all over the world talking about Lidice and its fate, thus remembering the history of this city.

Birmingham is also home to a modern library, which was completed in 2013. It is one of the largest public libraries in Europe and houses more than 400,000 books, including extensive collections of manuscripts and rare prints. At the top of the library, for instance, there is a room dedicated to William Shakespeare, containing original works and manuscripts of his.

Today, Birmingham is a cosmopolitan city that hosts various cultural events and festivals. The city has a very rich musical history. Famous bands like Black Sabbath and its founder, Birmingham legend Ozzy Osbourne, are from here. But Birmingham is also the birthplace of J.R.R. Tolkien, the famous author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, as well as actress Julie Walters, known from the Harry Potter films and the musical Mamma Mia.

Birmingham is also home to the Birmingham Royal Ballet and Symphony Hall, which is one of the best concert halls in the world.

My graduation ceremony took place in Symphony Hall, and it was an incredible experience. You don’t really realize the significance of these moments until you’re walking across the stage with your diploma in hand and hearing the roaring applause. It’s truly a life moment – suddenly, your mind flashes back to the past four years of studying, all the sad and happy moments, work, and time spent with friends and your loved ones, as well as all the things you missed, like birthdays, family occasions, Easters, and Christmases with your family.

Everything flies by so fast, and suddenly you’re standing on stage, seeing the proud looks of your parents, and you realize that now you’re truly an adult, independent, and have a sense of freedom. Nothing holds you back, the world is now yours.

When it comes to cuisine, Birmingham is a city with a very rich culinary culture. Whether you like traditional British cuisine, French techniques, Asian fusion, or Indian food, you can find everything here. There are countless small restaurants, cafés, bistros, brunch spots, and of course Michelin-starred restaurants, which have been a significant part of my career. The city currently has five Michelin-starred restaurants – Adam’s by Adam Stokes, which was my home for almost three years, Simpsons, Purnell’s, Grace & Savour, and Opheem, Birmingham’s first restaurant with two Michelin stars, which is also the first Indian restaurant with two stars outside London.

Time really flies, it’s already November, autumn is in full swing, even though it feels like rainy autumn in England all year round. When I fly back home to the Czech Republic, I enjoy our autumn to the fullest – beautifully colored trees in the forests, the smell of rain, and mushroom picking. Although England has an ideal climate for mushrooms, very few people actually go mushroom picking. Whereas back home, mushroom season is one of the most beloved times of the year, so I always look forward to returning home, grabbing baskets and a knife, and heading into the woods, where the branches crack underfoot, the leaves rustle, and the forest smells amazing. It’s such a well-deserved relaxation and escape from the hectic city life.