THE renowned Newport Italian restaurant Gemelli won two awards at The Welsh Hospitality Awards last weekend.

The restaurant - located in the Tesco Extra in Spytty Retail Park – won the regional award for the restaurant of the year and the best team award.

Pasquale Cinotti, who runs the restaurant with his brother Sergio, said the awards recognise the hard work of the men and women they employ.

“Running a restaurant is not a one man job – it takes the collaboration of a team,” he said. “They are all so happy about the staff award, because it shows they are doing something right.”

Mr Cinotti said the awards are good for Newport as well.

He said: “It puts Newport on the map. Yesterday, we had people coming from north Wales because they had heard about us."

The news comes just a few weeks after the restaurant was awarded two AA Rosette Awards.

Mr Cinotti said they will be receiving another inspection in the coming months to receive the third Rosette.

“The most you can achieve in your first visit is two Rosettes,” he continued. “If we got the third Rosette, we would be in the top nine per cent restaurants in the UK.

“The AA Rosettes are one of the greatest awards you can get in the restaurant business.”

He said being awarded the AA Rosettes is good for their staff as well, as they can now put in their CV they are working in a restaurant of such category.

“It is something special as it opens doors for them,” Mr Cinotti added.

The restaurant have previously won an award for Restaurant of the Year at the Welsh Hospitality Awards in 2016 and also the Best Italian Restaurant Award.

To find out more about Gemelli, visit gemellinewport.co.uk