Michael Wignall, executive head chef of Gidleigh Park in Devon, has been awarded five rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide 2018.

Last year Michael retained two stars in the Michelin Guide UK and he has now earned five AA rosettes due to his 'ever evolving style' and for creating dishes that are 'full of flavour' which are 'underpinned by a contemporary, less formal approach to fine cuisine.'

Speaking to The Staff Canteen about his latest accolade, Michael said: "It’s amazing, it puts you into the elite and it’s just a nice reward for the staff as well for all of their hard work because I couldn’t have done it without them. It’s not just me it’s all of them, they all get involved so it’s a good boost and just a nice thing to have. They’re all really happy and made up and it’s just so uplifting."

He added: "I brought 12 staff with me to Gidleigh Park and if they hadn’t come with me we probably wouldn’t be in the position that we are now so it’s just made the transition a lot easier especially with the fantastic team that were already in place and the support from Gidleigh as well. It’s just a great achievement."

Michael replaced Michael Caines MBE as executive head chef of Gidleigh Park in January 2016. Prior to this Michael was the head chef of The Latymer, the award winning restaurant based at the Exclusive Hotel & Spa, Pennyhill Park in Bagshot, Surrey. Throughout his career Michael has amassed multiple awards having earned a star in the Michelin Guide of every kitchen he has headed up since he received his first star back in 1993.

>>> Related: Michael Wignall confirmed as Gidleigh Park’s new Executive Head Chef

Alistair Sandall, Commercial Manager at AA Hotel Services said: “While the awarding of new five rosettes is usually included in our main Hospitality Awards in September we all felt that we could not delay this award until then. Michael Wignall has transferred his exquisite skills and style to Gidleigh Park and has made this undoubtedly worthy of this accolade.”

The restaurants awarded new four AA Rosettes are:

Martin Wishart at Loch Lomond, Balloch

Morston Hall, Blakeney, Norfolk

Typing Room, London E2

The new three AA Rosettes restaurants are

AG's Restaurant at Alexander House Hotel, Turners Hill, Crawley

Anglo, London EC1

Boringdon Hall Hotel (Gallery Restaurant), Plymouth

Bovey Castle, Moretonhampstead

Céleste at The Lanesborough, London SW1

Crossbasket Castle, Blantyre

Inver Restaurant, Strachur

The Elderflower Restaurant, Lymington

The Mount Somerset Hotel and Spa, Taunton

The Olive Room, Ilfracombe

The Square, London W1

Tuddenham Mill, Newmarket

Restaurants awarded three AA Rosettes are all outstanding restaurants that achieve standards that demand national recognition well beyond their local area while those achieving four AA Rosettes are among the top restaurants in the country. To achieve five AA Rosettes, the restaurants are the pinnacle of the nation’s restaurants where the cooking compares with the best in the world and exhibit breath taking culinary skills and set the standards to which other aspire to and yet few achieve.

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