'Sumptuous' restaurant with 'modern' British menu lands third AA Rosette
A 'sumptuous' South Cheshire restaurant has been awarded three coveted AA Rosettes. Rookery Hall Hotel and Spa, close to Crewe and Nantwich, was praised for its "modern" British menu and being "in step with the seasons and the local larder."
To be awarded three Rosettes, a restaurant must achieve 'culinary standards that demand national recognition well beyond their local area'. AA inspectors also review the quality of the ingredients, as well as insisting the 'timing, seasoning and the judgement of flavour combinations be consistently excellent'.
Good wine lists and intuitive service are also taken into consideration. The hotel restaurant, set in the countryside near Worleston, enjoys views of the 38 acres of gardens, parkland and pasture.
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The AA's inspector references the first owner of the grand country house the Rookery now occupies, William Hilton Cooke of Chester. Cooke built the grand house in 1816 after building his wealth as the owner of a Jamaican sugar plantation prior to abolition in 1834.
It was later owned by Baron William Henry von Schröder, a merchant banker who extended the house drastically. The house has been a hotel since 1975.
The AA's inspector wrote: "The wealth of the original owner is evident in the sumptuous interior and the large bay windows in the restaurant offer views of the grounds, which can be enjoyed even more if dining on the terrace. The modern British menu is in step with the seasons and the local larder. Start with tartare of Galician retired dairy cow beef before a main of Scottish halibut, poached white asparagus, Shetland mussels, caviar and Champagne butter sauce."