A college restaurant in Bury St Edmunds has secured the highest possible accreditation available to them after impressing with “exemplary” standards and training.

The team at the Edmunds restaurant, based at West Suffolk College in Out Risbygate, are celebrating being awarded the AA College Rosette, Level two, in the AA (Automobile Association) scheme.

The AA highlighted the genuine restaurant atmosphere, outstanding learning environment, strong industry links and excellent grasp of commercial sense demonstrated at Edmunds with the students at the heart of everything they do.

It was also noted that Edmunds have proved they can compete at the most ambitious level, with a clear brand, outstanding instructors and highly-polished levels of service.

Mike Mulvihill, director of service industries at the College, said: “West Suffolk College is committed to excellence, in enabling young people to transition into an adult life self-confidently and optimistically engaged with society, gainfully employed and with broad life skills to benefit themselves and the community. Edmunds is proud to be part of this mission.”

Dr Nikos Savvas, principal at West Suffolk College, said: “This is an extraordinary achievement and extremely well deserved. Under Mike’s excellent leadership, Edmunds has gone from a good college training restaurant to an exemplar and outstanding one.

“I’m so very proud of him and all his team for working so hard to deliver excellence in education in culinary arts. Edmunds offers the perfect training environment for the hospitality and culinary stars of the future.”

He added: “Edmunds joins only a small handful of college restaurants to have ever received this award. It is a truly wonderful achievement that echoes our core objective, to offer outstanding education to our students.”

The AA college rosette scheme was developed by People 1st and AA Hotel Services and has judged restaurants for 100 years.