•Héléne Darroze at The Connaught, London: Hélène Darroze, one of France’s most distinguished chefs, is taking the
gastronomic experience at the Connaught into a new and exciting phase. Inspired by authentic regional and seasonal
flavours, Hélène cuisine has its roots in her native Landes region of South West France.

•The Latymer at Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa, Bagshot: The Latymer Restaurant, headed up by new chef Michael Wignall,
has an intimate dining room set in a stunning country house hotel. Along with Wignall’s complex and inventive cuisine, one
of the highlights of this restaurant is the opulent chef’s table set in a glass room in the heart of the kitchen.

The three AA rosette winners for 2009 are:

•The Church Green, Lymm, Cheshire
•Auberge du Lac, Welwyn, Hertfordshire
•The Bath Priory Hotel, Restaurant & Spa, Bath
•The Burlington Restaurant at The Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire
•Casamia Restaurant, Bristol
•Gilpin Lodge Country House Hotel & Restaurant, Windermere, Cumbria                                   
•Jesmond Dene House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
•Kinloch Lodge, Isleornsay, Highland
•Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire
•The Peat Inn, Peat Inn, Fife
•Seaham Hall Hotel - The White Room Restaurant, Seaham, Co Durham
•The Bingham, Richmond Upon Thames, London
•Corrigan’s, Mayfair, London
•The Crown at Celtic Manor, Newport, South Wales
•Galvin at Windows, Mayfair, London
•Min Jiang, Kensington, London
•Murano, Mayfair, London
•The Pass, West Sussex
•Purnell’s, Birmingham
•Robert Thompson, The Hambrough, Isle of Wight
•Rousillion, London
•York & Albany, London

AA Hotel Services Group Area Manager Giovanna Grossi said: “I am very impressed with the quality of this year’s winners,
who have demonstrated intense ambition and a passion for excellence, as well as superb technical skills and innovative
menus. I am delighted that there are a plethora of establishments that continue to raise the standards and encourage
excellence in the industry.”

Other AA Hospitality Awards 2009 – 2010 winners were:

AA Hotel Group of the Year – von Essen hotels

AA Small Hotel Group of the Year – Exclusive Hotels

AA Hotel of the Year England – Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa, North Yorkshire

AA Hotel of the Year Scotland – The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire

AA Hotel of the Year Wales – Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel, Snowdonia National Park

AA Hotel of the Year London – The Connaught, Mayfair

AA Restaurant of the Year England - Purnell's, Birmingham

AA Restaurant of the Year Scotland - Plumed Horse, Leith - Edinburgh

AA Restaurant of the Year Wales - Y Polyn, Carmarthenshire

AA Restaurant of the Year London - Corrigan's Mayfair, Mayfair

AA Pub of the Year England – The Trout at Tadpole Bridge, Faringdon - Oxfordshire

AA Pub of the Year Scotland – The Inn at Inverbeg, Luss - Glasgow

AA Pub of the Year Wales - The Queens Head, Llandudno

AA Wine Award England – The Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon - Cambridgeshire

AA Wine Award Scotland – The Cross at Kingussie, Kingussie

AA Wine Award Wales - The Bell at Skenfrith, Skenfrith - Monmouthshire

AA Chef’s Chef of the Year Award – Marcus Wareing


The AA Rosette Criteria Defined

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.
AA Restaurant Guide 2010 - September 2009 Rosette Awards (Press Release)
The AA, celebrating the best in hospitality for over 100 years, has
announced the most recent additions in the 3, 4 and 5 AA Rosette awards
at a glamorous black-tie ceremony, hosted by Natasha Kaplinsky, at the
London Hilton on Park Lane on 28th September 2009.

Attended by some of the world’s most renowned chefs, prominent
hoteliers and hospitality gurus, the AA Hospitality Awards recognise and
reward the excellent services provided by the UK’s very best
establishments, honouring the finest pubs and AA-inspected and rated
hotels and restaurants throughout the UK. Due to the exceptional
standard of cuisine experienced by AA inspectors, both long-established
and new restaurateurs have been acknowledged with four and five AA
rosettes.

Achieving the highest culinary accolade, five AA Rosettes, Restaurant
Sat Bains with Rooms in Nottingham has been acknowledged by the AA
for its continued high standards and for providing inspiration to peers
throughout the industry. Run by Sat Bains and his wife, Restaurant Sat
Bains with Rooms prides itself on giving guests an ‘adventure of the
palate’ with its innovative Tasting menu.

The four AA rosette winners for 2009 are:

•Hibiscus, London: Chef Patron Claude Bosi relocated Hibiscus to
London from Shropshire in 2007. Since re-opening, the stylish and
innovative restaurant has been welcomed on the London restaurant
scene.