While other universities and colleges have been recognised for their student training kitchens, this is the first time a UK university has received the honour for its own restaurant.
The Blue Room aims to serve sustainable food and locally sourced produce, with fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit coming from the campus kitchen garden. It is open for bookings and walk-ins for lunch between 12pm and 2pm Monday to Friday.
Lewis Huggins, senior sous-chef at The Blue Room, said: “We are all thrilled to have received two AA rosettes – it’s a real honour for the team.
“We really pride ourselves on creating food that uses local produce so to be recognised alongside some of the UK’s most respected restaurants is a great reflection of the skill, creativity and professionalism of our team. We hope more people from across Southampton - and beyond - will come and dine with us in future.”
The University of Southampton Catering Department recently won the University Catering accolade at the Public Sector Catering Awards. Read more about their success here.