September 26th 2012 The Country’s Top Restaurants Celebrate as AA Announces New Higher Rosette Awards
Some of the country’s top restaurants were celebrating last night when the AA announced the restaurants to achieve higher Rosette awards at the AA Hospitality Awards held last night at the London Hilton, Park Lane.
A restaurant’s food quality is assessed by the AA inspectorate, who award AA Rosettes to establishments demonstrating mastery and excellence in this field. The achievement of five Rosettes is the pinnacle for any chef, and identifies the finest restaurants in the British Isles, where the cooking stands comparison with the best in the world. These restaurants have highly individual voices, exhibit breathtaking culinary skills and set the standards to which
others aspire.
Winning the highest award of Five AA Rosettes was London restaurant, Hibiscus.
The new AA four Rosette restaurants for 2012-13 are:
* The Pass Restaurant @ South Lodge Hotel – Lower Beeding
* Casamia – Bristol
* Pollen Street Social – London
* 7 Park Place by William Drabble – London
The new AA three Rosette restaurants for 2012-13 are:
* Orwells, Henley on Thames
* Roger Hickman’s Restaurant, Norwich
* Stoke Place, Stoke Poges
* Rib Room @ Jumeirah Carlton Towers, London
* Wolfgang Puck@ 45 Park Lane, London
* Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham
* Cringletie House, Peebles
* Alyn Williams @ The Westbury, London
* The Dining Room @ Hilbark, Frankby
* Thirty Six by Nigel Mendham @ Dukes Hotel, London
* One Devonshire Gardens, Glasgow
* Gordon’s, Inverkelor
* The Old Inn, Drewsteignton
* The James Miller Room @ Turnberry
* Hipping Hall, Kirby Lonsdale
* Rocca Bar & Grill @ Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews
* Mount Juliet, ROI
* The Longridge Restaurant, Longridge
* Airds, Port Apin
* Isle of Eriska, Eriska
* Plas Ynyshir Hall Hotel
The AA Hospitality Awards, hosted this year by Kate Silverton, saw the great and good of the country’s hospitality industry come together to celebrate not only the amazing achievements of the individuals and establishments receiving recognition for outstanding excellence in their field but also 20 years of the iconic AA Restaurant Guide. The evening opened with a tribute to the AA Restaurant Guide by Heston Blumenthal and Raymond Blanc before the superb gourmet meal created by chef Jason Atherton and the team at the London Hilton Park Lane and entertainment from glamorous string quartet Siren.
The award event also sees the launch of the 2013 AA guides to UK hotels, restaurants, pubs and B&Bs which contain details of all the winning establishments.
The full list of winners at the AA Hospitality Awards 2012-13 is:
AA Hotel of the Year England – Lime Wood, Lyndhurst, Hampshire
AA Hotel of the Year Scotland – The Torridon, Torridon, Highlands
AA Hotel of the Year Wales – Bodysgallen Hall and Spa, Llandudno
AA Hotel of the Year London (sponsored by AA Business Insurance) – Four Seasons Hotel, Park Lane, London W1
AA Restaurant of the Year England – The Church Green British Grill, Lymm, Cheshire
AA Restaurant of the Year Scotland – Rogano, Glasgow
AA Restaurant of the Year Wales – Sosban, Llanelli
AA Restaurant of the Year London (Sponsored by Food and Travel) – Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London SW1
AA Wine Award England & Overall Winner (sponsored by T&W Wines) – L’Etranger, London
AA Wine Award Scotland (sponsored by T&W Wines) – Castle Terrace Restaurant, Edinburgh
AA Wine Award Wales (sponsored by T&W Wines) – The Felin Fach Griffin, Brecon, Wales
AA Pub of the Year England – The Black Swan, Ravenstonedale
AA Pub of the Year Scotland – West Brewery, Glasgow
AA Pub of the Year Wales – The Inn at Penallt, Monmouth
AA Small Hotel Group of the Year (sponsored by beacon) – Cotswold Inns and Hotels
AA Hotel Group of the Year (sponsored by D-ENERGi) – Hand Picked Hotels
AA Eco Hotel of the Year (sponsored by British Gas Business) – The Green House, Bournemouth
AA Eco Hotel Group of the Year (sponsored by British Gas Business) – Macdonald Hotels and Resorts
AA Chefs’ Chef (sponsored by Caterer.com) – Pierre Koffmann
AA Lifetime Achievement – Antonio Carluccio OBE
The AA Restaurant Rosette Criteria Defined (Reminder as per 2009)
One rosette Chefs should display a mastery of basic techniques and be able to produce dishes of sound quality and clarity of flavours, using good, fresh ingredients.
Two rosettes Innovation, greater technical skill and more consistency and judgement in combining and balancing ingredients are all needed at this level.
Three rosettes This award takes a restaurant into the big league. Expectations of the kitchen are high: exact technique, flair and imagination must come through in every dish, and balance and depth of flavour are all-important.
Four rosettes At this level, not only should all technical skills be exemplary, but there should also be daring ideas, and they must work. There is no room for disappointment. Flavours should be accurate and vibrant.
Five rosettes The supreme accolade awarded only when the cooking is at the pinnacle of achievement. Flavours, combinations and textures show a faultless sense of balance, giving each dish an extra dimension.
