AA Guide: Manchester House Trumped By The French

Confidentials 23 September 2014

CHEF AIDEN Byrne's Manchester House restaurant, opened in Spinningfields in September 2013, has just been awarded three AA Rosettes at the AA Hospitality Awards at The Grosvenor London.

However, it is Byrne's BBC Restaurant Wars adversary Simon Rogan, Head Chef at The French in the Midland Hotel, who has come out on top. The French is one of seven restaurants awarded the coveted four AA rosettes in this year's guide - the only restaurant in the North to do so.

Byrne can take comfort knowing that Manchester House is now in the top 1% of restaurants in the country, according to the AA Guide 2015.

The announcement means Byrne and Manchester House (reviewed by Gordo here), opened by Knutsford-based restaurant and bar group Living Ventures, match Rogan's three rosette success of 2013 - but Byrne is sure to be smarting that his city centre competitor has been bumped up a notch in the pecking order.

Meanwhile, Chester restaurant Sticky Walnut (reviewed here) has topped the AA's Restaurant of the Year 2014 for England.

Manchester House

The French

Speaking of the award, Manchester House Head Chef Aiden Byrne said: “Receiving such a prestigious accolade is a great reward for all of the hard work that the whole team at Manchester House put in.

"We pride ourselves on offering fine cooking served in an informal, fun and funky way. Consistency is key for us, we ensure every guest receives the whole unique experience of dining at Manchester House.”

According the AA Guide, the three rosettes acheived by Byrne represent 'standards that demand recognition well beyond their local area' with cooking 'underpinned by the selection and sympathetic treatment of the highest quality ingredients'.

While the four achieved by Rogan at The French place the restaurant 'among the top restaurants in the UK', with cooking that 'demands national recognition'.

Five rosettes is the pinnacle of the AA Guide's honours, achieved by the likes of Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley and Claude Bosi's Hibiscus in London.

AA Guide criteria state that only 10% of restaurants nationwide are of a 'standard that is worthy of one rosette and above', and that only 10% of those that make the cut are worthy of three rosettes or above - meaning Byrne can take comfort knowing that Manchester House is now in the top 1% of restaurants in the country, according to the guide.

The restaurant is also currently in the running for four Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2014 awards in the Restaurant of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Chef of the Year and Bar of the Year categories.

Last year The French stomped to victory at the awards scooping both Restaurant of the Year and Newcomer of the Year (see here).

The French also scooped Best Restaurant of the Year in the outside of London category at the Food and Travel Magazine Readers Awards 2014 this month, as well as a being named one of the Waitrose Good Food Guide's top fifteen restaurants in the country.

Simon Rogan