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Cavendish rooms voted ‘Best Restaurant within an Attraction' 2008

Staff at the Cavendish rooms are celebrating success after winning ‘ Derbyshire's Best Restaurant within an Attraction' at the prestigious Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards 2008.

Councillor Joyce Sanders; Elizabeth Saunders, Bar Supervisor; Paul Cottrell, Catering Operations Manager; Adam Johnson, Head Chef and celebrity chef Brian Turner

Councillor Joyce Sanders; Elizabeth Saunders, Bar Supervisor; Paul Cottrell, Catering Operations Manager; Adam Johnson, Head Chef and celebrity chef Brian Turner

The winners were announced at a spectacular award ceremony at Thornbridge Hall, Ashford-in-the-Water on 25 th September by celebrity chef Brian Turner and county council chair Councillor Joyce Sanders.

The awards aim to find and reward the best Derbyshire eateries and establishments and finalists in the Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards were judged on a number of criteria including the quality of food and drink, use of county produce and excellent customer service. The awards were judged by an independent panel of food specialists including an AA inspector and an assessor for Quality in Tourism.

Sara Sweetland , Head of Trading at Chatsworth said: “We're thrilled to have won the award for the Cavendish rooms. We are very proud of the quality of our food which is freshly made by our team of Chatsworth chefs and bakers, and we do our very best to source ingredients from local suppliers wherever possible. It's wonderful that the hard work of our staff has been recognised.”

A number of developments have taken place this year in the Cavendish rooms. The space has undergone a complete refurbishment and decoration, led by the Duchess of Devonshire, and a new menu and concept for the Cavendish rooms has been created, designed around the art of the afternoon tea.

A new online booking facility for afternoon teas has also been created on Chatsworth's website, which allows visitors to book and pay for their afternoon tea in advance, guaranteeing them a table at a specified time slot.

Speaking on behalf of the Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards, County council cabinet member for regeneration Councillor Geoff Carlile said: “The awards celebrate Derbyshire's reputation as a producer of excellent quality food and drink and a county which boasts many high quality establishments.

“The council is very proud to stage the awards and I'd like to congratulate all the winners and the highly commended venues as well as thanking everyone who took part.”