Alnwick restaurant Sonnet celebrates an 'incredible start to the year' ahead of Michelin award ceremony
Alnwick’s fine dining restaurant, Sonnet has had ‘an incredible start to the year’ following its new inclusion in the prestigious Michelin Guide.
Owned and run by couple, Gary McDermott and Claudia Mazareanu, who together have more than 20 years hospitality experience, the restaurant has been open less than a year but has already inspired a loyal following.
The restaurant has been included the final update of new entries to the guide before The Michelin Award Ceremony 2025, which will take place in Glasgow on Monday, February 10.
The Michelin Guide describes Sonnet as: “A sonnet is a 14-line poem, and so the culinary poetry here takes the form of 14 courses, each one crafted with real care by Chef Gary McDermott. He and his partner Claudia, a natural host, have created a deeply personal restaurant, with many of the dishes coming with a story attached and plenty of attention given to each of the eight tables.”
The couple previously ran a Michelin-listed restaurant in Chichester and Gary was previously head chef at the now Michelin-starred Pentonbridge Inn.
Having grown up in County Durham, Gary was keen to return North to launch their first business and be able to source from many local suppliers such as Wilde Farm Estate in Ponteland, Hodgson Fish and Peelham Farm in the Scottish Borders.
Claudia is originally from the Black Sea coast in Romania and the couple met when they were working in a busy hotel – the pair saw Sonnet as the chance to share this appreciation for produce and hospitality with warmth and humour.
The Michelin Guide acknowledges the ways in which the couple combine their differing cultural influences within their food: “There’s something so wonderful and heartening about dining in a restaurant with a personal touch. The dishes come with several stories attached, like Gary’s mini apple pie made using his grandmother’s puff pastry recipe. The lamb kebab, meanwhile, is inspired by Claudia’s Romanian heritage.”
Gary says: “What an incredible start to the year. We are blown away to be in the January inspectors' choice. We are so grateful for all our fantastic guests and our hard working team, that make our little restaurant great.’”