The Winery Restaurant celebrates being awarded two AA Rosettes

It was with much joy last week when we heard that The Winery Restaurant had been awarded two AA Rosettes. Having been awarded one last year, this new accolade is a fantastic achievement for the entire restaurant team although such success could not have been reached without the dedication Squerryes Head Chef, Seamus McDonagh.
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At just 32 years of age, Seamie is a passionate Irish farmer’s boy who began learning to cook with his grandmother in the family kitchen back home in County Galway. After training and working his way up through pubs and restaurants in Ireland, Australia and Kent, he accepted the Head Chef role at Squerryes where he’s now using his platform to develop his culinary skills.

“It’s fantastic to have been awarded two Rosettes this year. We try to design dishes on our menu that show you can make anything taste delicious.  A lot of our style is based around comfort and a modern play on classics. The Warde family, who own the Squerryes Estate, live by the motto ‘Licet Esse Beatis’, which is Latin for ‘it is permitted to be joyful’. At Squerryes, we are in the business of creating joy and that’s what I hope our food also gives diners.”

For owner Henry Warde, it's been a pleasure to see Seamie grow in his passion for everything Squerryes is trying to achieve and the skills he brings to the kitchen. Winning a rosette last year and now two this year, Henry is confident Seamie is going to create something very special at Squerryes, with a Michelin Green Star next on his wish list of accolades.
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First introduced in 1956, the AA Rosette award scheme is a nationwide scheme for assessing the quality of food served by restaurants and hotels. The scheme is a celebration of successful cooking at different levels across the UK – Rosettes are a clear indicator of culinary excellence and reflect the stand-out experience diners can expect from the moment they enter the restaurant.

“Situated on the beautiful North Downs, this first-floor restaurant overlooks a 2,500-acre estate that produces vintage English sparkling wine. A wine theme runs throughout the dining room, from a cork-patterned floor to burgundy red walls lined with wine bottles and vinous imagery. The well executed modern British dishes demonstrate plenty of inventive ideas.”

The restaurant is open Wednesday to Sunday (plus bank holiday Mondays) and offers a range of menus from a set lunch menu to a la carte dining to Sunday roasts. Do join us to taste our seasonal, estate-led food and raise a glass of Squerryes with us to two Rosettes!