A west Dorset restaurant with rooms has been awarded three AA rosettes for ‘culinary excellence’.

Owned by former Michelin-star chef, Chris Staines, and his partner Silvana Bandini, The Ollerod, a 13th century country house in Beaminster, was relaunched in July 2018

The AA Rosette Awards are assessed as part of unannounced inspections.

Three rosettes recognise restaurants that ‘achieve standards that demand recognition well beyond their local area. The cooking is underpinned by the selection and sympathetic treatment of the highest quality ingredients. Timing, seasoning and the judgement of flavour combinations will be consistently excellent. These virtues tend to be supported by other elements, such as intuitive service and a well-chosen wine list’.

Chris Staines, chef and co-owner of The Ollerod, said: “Starting any new initiative is as exciting as it is daunting, and to be awarded three rosettes from the AA is a real honour and a true testament of the hard work that goes into creating what we hope is an amazing dining experience for our guests.”

For more information about The Ollerod, visit theollerod.co.uk