THE Horn of Plenty at Gulworthy has been awarded one of the highest accolades it is possible to receive by the AA.

The restaurant has received 3 AA Rosettes for culinary excellence in the new AA Restaurant Guide 2005. The authoritative guide features descriptions of the food on offer at more than 1,800 restaurants throughout the British Isles, all selected and inspected by the AA.

AA chief hotel and restaurant inspector, Peter Birnie, said fewer than ten per cent of restaurants in the British Isles were awarded rosettes of three or more.

Mr Birnie said: ?These are the best in the industry and very worthy winners. Each is outstanding in its own way, and I pay tribute to the consistent excellence they achieve.?

Peter Gorton, joint owner with Paul Roston and head chef at the Horn of Plenty, said the award was ?brilliant?.

?That?s 15 years of 3 AA Rosettes; we?ve been consistent for that time. Not many have had them that long.?

However, he added that next year he would like to push for four. ?There are only eight or nine in the country with that award ? it would be nice.?

?At the end of the day you are only as good as your team. We have had a lot of good chefs. Some have gone on to become head chefs and two have gone on to top Michelin establishments.?

He said the restaurant had become more about training people to become good chefs.

?It?s about consistency ? that?s important. If I can do that, I?ll be happy.?

He has employees with learning difficulties, whom he said just needed to be given a chance. ?I don?t care if someone can?t read or write, as long as they can cook!? he said.

AA Rosette Awards from one to five have become the UK benchmark for food quality in restaurants, with leading chefs recognising the impartiality and authority of the accolades.

The results are listed in the updated restaurant guide each year ? the new guide is out in October.