Claude Bosi is the new AA Chefs' Chef and three restaurants are awarded 5 Rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide 2019

The Staff Canteen

Claude Bosi is announced as the new Chef of the Year at the AA Hospitality Awards 2018 and three restaurants are awarded five rosettes.

Claude Bosi joins an all-star list of chefs who have been awarded the accolade over the years including Tom Kerridge, Nathan Outlaw and Daniel Clifford. And he also adds five rosettes to his collection of accolades this year.

Speaking to The Staff Canteen, he said: "What a year! It's all down to team work and to be recognised by other chefs is just a fantastic achievement, I'm very pleased."

He added: "I'd taken my tie off, I was ready to go home when I saw the list of such fantastic cooks so to win was unbelievable. I've just said to my team next year we have to cook and we're following John Williams who I spoke to earlier and told him he had just given us all a lesson in how to cook for a 1000 people! So no pressure!"

AA Restaurant Guide 2019 

New five rosette restaurants

Bibendum, London

Core by Clare Smyth, London

Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms, Ormskirk

New four rosette restaurants

Adam Reid at The French, Manchester

Burlington Restaurant at the Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey

Dinner by Heston, London

Driftwood, Portscatho

The Man Behind The Curtain, Leeds

Tassili, Jersey

The Tudor Room at Great Fosters, Egham

New three rosette restaurants

ABode Canterbury, Canterbury

Amberley Castle , Amberley

Benedicts, Norwich

Carters of Moseley, Birmingham

Castle Bow Restaurant, Taunton

Chateaux Le Chaire, Jersey

The Crown, Burchett's Green

Dormy House Hotel, Broadway

Frog by Adam Handling, London

The Greenway Hotel & Spa, Cheltenham

Jackrabbit Restaurant, Chipping Camden

Jöro Restaurant, Sheffield

Kilcamb Lodge Hotel, Fort William

Kota Restaurant with Rooms, Porthleven

La Dame de Pic, London

Merchants Manor, Falmouth

Mere, London

Ocean Restaurant at The Atlantic Hotel, Jersey

The Oxford Kitchen, Oxford

Peckforton Castle, Peckforton

Roganic, London

Salt, Stratford upon Avon

Sorrel, Dorking

The Square, London

The Torridon, Wester Ross

The Wild Rabbit, Kingham

The Woodspeen, Speen

Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa, Malmesbury

Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Hotel & Hospitality Services said: “Twenty years on from arriving in the UK, Claude’s passion for his craft remains undiminished as does his commitment to the stove. His achievements speak for themselves and it comes as no surprise that his peers have chosen him for this ultimate industry award.”

There were three  five rosette winners at the ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel: Bibendum, Core by Clare Smyth and Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms.

Mark Birchall, chef owner of Moor Hall, which only received four rosettes in January, said: "It's amazing! As a chef you dedicate your whole life to this industry, you give so much and all you want to be is top of your game. In just 18 months to achieve five rosettes is phenomenal."

Core is Clare Smyth's first solo venture and she said: "It was totally unexpected. We just keep working every day and doing what we know - it's not about me it's about the team and we are so focused on being the best that we can be." 

17 restaurants in the UK hold five AA rosettes and Bohemia is the only restaurant in the Channel Islands to have achieved this award. 

Six restaurants also achieved four rosettes, these were Adam Reis at The French, Burlington Restaurant, Diner by Heston, Driftwood, The Man Behind The Curtain, Tassili and The Tudor Room at Great Fosters. 

The AA Lifetime Achievement Award, introduced in 2006, recognises professionals within the hospitality industry who have committed their lives to the pursuit of perfection within their discipline. Winners of this award are to be congratulated for making significant fundamental contributions to the industry which have had a notable impact and must have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to progress in their field.

In February 2018, this year's winner, John Stauss retired after 23 years as General Manager of the five-red-AA-star, 193-bedroom Four Seasons Hotel London Park Lane and 21 years as Regional Vice-President. He has had over 50 years in the hospitality sector.

John said: "I was very surprised to learn that I had been chosen for the AA 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. To receive such a recognition from an organisation which I greatly admire makes me very happy and totally grateful to the AA and also to many valiant and tireless colleagues over the years."

Full list of winners at the AA Restaurant Guide 2019 Hospitality Awards:

Hotel of the Year England: Great Fosters Hotel, Egham

Northern Ireland – Bishop’s Gate Hotel, Derry-Londonderry

Hotel of the Year London: Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square

Hotel of the Year N. Ireland: Bishop’s Gate Hotel, Derry-Londonderry

Hotel of the Year Scotland: Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, St Andrews

Hotel of the Year Wales:  Trefeddian Hotel, Aberdovey

Restaurant of the Year England: Sorrel, Dorking

Restaurant of the Year London: Sabor, London W1

Restaurant of the Year Scotland: The Newport Restaurant, Newport-on-Tay

Restaurant of the Year Wales:  Machine House Restaurant, Wrexham

Pub of the Year England: The Crafty Baa, Windermere

Pub of the Year Scotland: The Pot Still, Glasgow 

Pub of the Year Wales: The Nags Head Inn, Garthmyl

Housekeeper of the Year: Ewa Bialonas, Head Housekeeper, Hambleton Hall, Oakham

Eco Hotel of the Year: Fairmont St Andrews, Fife

Wine Award: 

England – The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Little Bedwyn

Wales – Park House Restaurant, Cardiff

Scotland – Timberyard, Edinburgh

Customer Choice: Sofitel London St James, London

Food Service Award: Margot, London

College Restaurant of the Year: The Brasserie, Milton Keynes College, Milton Keynes

New Red Stars

Every year AA inspectors select the best hotels within each star rating. These hotels stand out as the very best in the British Isles and are known as ‘Inspectors’ Choice’ hotels.

5 Red Star Hotels

Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, London

Palé Hall Hotel & Restaurant, Bala

Shangri-La Hotel, at The Shard, London  

4 Red Star Hotels

Hell Bay , Bryher

Mallory Court Country House Hotel and Spa, Royal Leamington Spa

3 Red Star Hotels

Judges Country House Hotel, Yarm

Mullion Cove Hotel, Mullion

 

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall  – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 25th September 2018

Claude Bosi is the new AA Chefs' Chef and three restaurants are awarded 5 Rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide 2019