Acclaimed chef Daniel ap Geraint and his team are celebrating one of their biggest achievements yet after The Gunroom Restaurant at Plas Dinas Country House was awarded Three AA Rosettes.

The prestigious accolade was officially announced at the AA Hospitality Awards in Mayfair, London, where Daniel and members of the team took to the stage alongside some of the UK's leading chefs and hospitality professionals.

The award places the Bontnewydd restaurant among an elite group recognised for culinary excellence on a national level and comes during the 70th anniversary year of the AA Rosette scheme.

It is the latest in a memorable run of honours for Plas Dinas, which was named Best Hotel in Wales in the Good Hotel Guide's 2026 César Awards and AA Restaurant with Rooms of the Year for Wales 2025.

Owner Annie Perks said: "We knew how much achieving Three Rosettes would mean to Daniel and the team, so finally receiving the news was a fantastic moment for everyone at Plas Dinas.

"It's not something you simply receive following one good inspection. At this level it goes to a panel and there is a lot of scrutiny involved, so we had an anxious wait before finding out.

"Being able to go to London and see the team receive the award on stage, surrounded by many of the UK's best chefs and hospitality professionals, made it even more special.

"They've worked so hard for this and thoroughly deserve the recognition."

The AA has awarded Rosettes since 1956 and describes restaurants achieving Three Rosettes as "outstanding", with standards deserving recognition well beyond their local area.

The award reflects not only the quality and consistency of the food but the high levels of service and overall dining experience, with Daniel and Annie paying tribute to the whole team, including Dylan Thomas, Rupert Loom, Ferdinando Salvestrini and Liga Williamson.

The Gunroom also features in the new AA Restaurant Guide, which highlights its intimate setting at the former home of Lord Snowdon and a menu shaped by the seasons and freshest Welsh produce.

The AA praised its "modern British cooking underpinned by classic skills and technique", highlighting dishes featuring Welsh butter, Anglesey sea salt, Welsh lamb and locally sourced seafood.

Daniel, from Prestatyn, has been Head Chef at The Gunroom since 2018 and has helped establish the restaurant as one of Wales's leading dining destinations.

Working alongside him is a talented kitchen team including pastry specialist Cosmin Scarlet, Aled Jones and Kane Williams.

Kane was previously Head Chef at The Barn at Moor Hall, where he led the team to its first MICHELIN star, and has worked at some of the UK's most celebrated restaurants, including Tom Kerridge's The Hand and Flowers and The Ledbury. He was also Senior Sous Chef at Moor Hall, working alongside chef-patron Mark Birchall.

Daniel said: "Three Rosettes has been a goal of ours for some time, so we're absolutely delighted.

"There's a lot of work behind the scenes that people don't necessarily see. We are constantly looking at the menus, the produce we're using and the whole experience we give people when they come through the door.

"I have a brilliant team around me and that's what makes this possible. Everyone has played their part and it's something we can all be proud of.

"We'll definitely enjoy this one, but we'll also keep working, developing and seeing how far we can take things."

Daniel also represented Wales in the final of BBC Two's Great British Menu in 2025 after winning the Welsh heat, narrowly missing out on a place at the programme's 20th anniversary banquet at Blenheim Palace.

The latest award joins a growing list of honours for Plas Dinas and The Gunroom. The restaurant is listed in the MICHELIN Guide, while Plas Dinas has retained its AA Five-Star Gold status.

Owner Daniel Perks said: "We're incredibly proud of what Daniel and the team have achieved.

"Three Rosettes is a big step and recognition of the standards they are producing day in, day out.

"When you look at the recognition Plas Dinas and The Gunroom have received over the last couple of years, it's incredibly rewarding for the whole team.

"Daniel is always looking ahead and thinking about what can be improved, and that's one of the reasons we've come so far. This is a brilliant moment for the restaurant and for everyone at Plas Dinas."

With Three AA Rosettes now secured and The Gunroom already recognised by the MICHELIN Guide, attention will inevitably turn to what might come next - and whether a first MICHELIN star could be the restaurant's next major milestone.