A NORTH Yorkshire restaurant is celebrating after being awarded two AA Rosettes.

The Coach House at Middleton Lodge, in Middleton Tyas, near Richmond, received the award following its latest inspection by the AA experts - to receive two rosettes a restaurant must demonstrate excellence, outstanding standard, greater precision and high attention to detail.

Located on a 200 acre Georgian country estate, the Coach House restaurant launched in October 2014 following a major restoration of the old carriage house.

The AA Rosette scheme has been long established and successfully recognises cooking at different levels nationwide. The success in achieving Rosettes is based on a single visit to the restaurant, where the entire meal including service, crockery and staff knowledge are assessed.

The Coach House’s head chef, Gareth Rayner, had led the kitchen team since the beginning, his acclaimed seasonal menus take a casual approach to well loved British dishes, whilst using the very best locally sourced produce.

Mr Rayner, originally from Hartlepool, said: “This is such a fantastic achievement by both the kitchen and the front-of-house restaurant team. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the hard work and dedication of the entire team.

“Our aim at the Coach House restaurant is to create food that our guests fall in love with, creating a memorable experience that keeps diners coming back time and time again."