College restaurant sets the gold standard
Students and staff in Burton and South Derbyshire College’s (BSDC) Mulberry Bistro and Restaurant are celebrating after being awarded the prestigious AA College Rosette Highly Commended by the AA Hotel and Hospitality Services.
The AA College Rosette celebrates college restaurants that serve high-quality food and deliver exceptional service.
Reflecting current industry trends within real working restaurant environments, the College Rosette mirrors the industry-recognised AA Rosette scheme.
To achieve highly commended status, BSDC had to demonstrate a clear commitment to students and the industry, achieving standards that stand out in the local area.
In addition to the AA College Rosette Highly Commended, BSDC achieved a Gold Accreditation for its Hospitality and Catering curriculum, as well as being named a Centre of Excellence for Food and Beverage Service in the People 1st Hospitality College Accreditation scheme.
Moreover, the College was recently rated ‘Outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted.
During the assessment process, the college was visited by qualified AA hotel and restaurant inspectors with relevant industry experience, who praised the Mulberry Bistro and Restaurant for the College's strong industry links, commitment to student development and the quality of resources and support provided.
The verifiers and assessors also praised the college for its comprehensive commercial and curriculum offer, fantastic support from its senior leadership team to grow provision and the team's performance in creating a welcoming atmosphere and delivering professional service.
Located in Burton Town Centre, the Mulberry Bistro and Restaurant offers a contemporary dining experience that has become a local favourite.
The fine dining restaurant serves a delicious variety of food and wine at affordable prices, prepared and served by learners under the supervision of expert tutors.
Meanwhile, the bistro serves light lunches, freshly baked cakes and barista coffee in a spacious and relaxing environment. The Mulberry is extremely popular and is ranked highly on TripAdvisor for restaurants in Burton-on-Trent.
Lizzy Wootton, curriculum team leader for Hospitality, Tourism and Events said: “Achieving these three prestigious accolades is a testament to the dedication and excellence of our students and staff in the Mulberry Bistro and Restaurant.
“It has been a real team effort, and we couldn’t have achieved this result without our dedicated and professional staff. The whole team played a part and thoroughly deserve this recognition.
“At BSDC, we are proud to set the gold standard in culinary education, offering not just fine dining experiences, but also developing a culture of service excellence. This recognition underscores our commitment to providing industry-relevant training and preparing our learners for success in their future careers."
