Accolade a reflection of head chef’s passion for superb food.

The � la carte restaurant at Monkton Court Hotel, near Honiton, has been awarded two AA Rosettes.

Inspectors rated the restaurant excellent after posing as guests during a mystery shopper-type judging process.

Owners Colin and Jenny Wheatley-Brown are delighted with the award and say the success is all down to their head chef, Joe Nagy.

“He’s got no ego or pretensions,” said Jenny. “He is just passionate about food.”

Just 54 restaurants in the South West currently have two AA Rosettes and 618 across England.

Jenny says serving superb food is important. “People want to have something better than they can cook themselves when they go out,” she told The Herald.