That time-old saying of never judging a book by its cover can almost certainly be applied to Michel Roux Jr. Beneath the no-nonsense exterior of the revered (and sometimes feared) chef and former judge on MasterChef: The Professionals, is a man with a simple and deep passion for gastronomy.
Unsurprising, really, given his pedigree. Son of legendary chef Albert Roux, who founded Le Gavroche with his brother Michel (Snr.) in 1967, Roux Jr. grew up surrounded by two culinary heavyweights who undoubtedly shaped his future career path. After training and working in restaurants in Paris, Lyon, London and Hong Kong (and a stint of military service in the French Army), Roux Jr. took over Le Gavroche in London from his father in 1993, maintaining the two Michelin stars it held at the time ever since. Weaker chefs may crumble under that sort of culinary pressure. Not Michel. As we chat over the phone, his calm, easygoing conversation does little to reveal that, in the background, the mad pre-lunch rush is beginning in the kitchens of Le Gavroche.
For Michel, the secret to such level-headedness is to always keep your focus on the customer. His addiction to marathon running may also have something to do with it. “It keeps me fit but also keeps me mentally stable,” he explains. “I love it. I have my 21st marathon in London next April.”
Given your father Albert and uncle Michel are both chefs, do you think the love of food runs in your DNA?
Yeah, definitely. I was brought up with good food and great produce — not necessarily extravagant food or produce, but just good home cooking and a deep respect for great ingredients. It was a good start.
Did you ever consider taking a different career path?
No, never. Never even crossed my mind. I think, had I not been a chef, I would still have something to do with food and wine, but
I really can’t imagine being anything else.
How do you split your time between France and England?
I have a house in the south of France, so I do try and get there as much as possible which is, unfortunately, not that often. But I consider myself a Londoner; I spend the bulk of my time here in London.
Where do you take first-time visitors to the city?
Aside from the great tourist spots like the Tower of London and great museums, there are fantastic new places to visit such as The Shard, which is an extraordinary piece of architecture. That’s what’s so special about London. You have great monuments such as St. Paul’s Cathedral shoulder to shoulder with these great new monoliths. That’s exciting for me.
Have you adopted British ingredients and techniques at Le Gavroche?
Not so much the techniques, because our techniques are based firmly on classic French methods, but we use British ingredients wherever possible. Sometimes we reinvent English recipes in a French way. For example, we make summer puddings with brioche bread instead of white bread.
How do you handle the pressure of operating a Michelin-starred restaurant every day?
As I always say to young, up-and-coming chefs, don’t cook for the stars, cook for your customers. Once you’re cooking with genuine passion, the accolades are sure to follow.
What do you think about modern cooking and dining trends such as molecular gastronomy? Do you think people will lose their taste for classic cooking?
If you speak to any of these molecular gastronomy chefs, they’ve all been trained in the classics first — it is very important to understand classical techniques first and then evolve from there, putting your own identity and stamp onto your food. I don’t think the food scene is going to change that much in the next 10 or 20 years. I think people will always want to go to high-end, fine-dining restaurants — we’ve always got special occasions to celebrate and people still love eating classic food. I think an emerging trend is that there will be more local restaurants offering great food at a very local price. It’s great to see new British chefs — like the owners of The Dairy restaurant in Clapham
— coming to the fore and getting noticed.
What’s been your most unusual food experience while travelling abroad?
Oh, I’ve tasted some weird and wonderful things, as you can imagine. I’ve worked in Hong Kong and tasted weird stuff there. In China I tasted cranes feet. You know, those birds with the long legs and feet, like stalks? They made a broth out of the bird then threw away the meat and just kept the broth and the feet. It was actually absolutely delicious; mind-blowingly good.
Where else do you like to travel for foodie experiences?
I love the east; I love China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan — all those destinations always appeal to me. Last year I was in Hong Kong and I hadn’t been there in a long time. The food scene is wonderful, with everything from street food to high-end dining. And it is such a crazy city. Go there for a week of gluttony.
What’s your best piece of advice for travellers?
Wherever I go, I like to taste the local fare, eating where the locals eat. I think you have to keep an open mind when you’re travelling and sampling local cuisine. Holidays are all about relaxing, enjoyingand discovering. And the adventure can be simply sitting down at a table and being regaled by local produce.
Where do you gravitate towards for holidays?
It depends what I am looking for. If I want complete hideaway, it’s the island retreat. I really do enjoy that, where I can just walk on the beach and not be disturbed. But I do enjoy the city life; I am a city boy at heart, that’s why I enjoy places like Hong Kong so much.
What are your favourite places to get away from it all?
For a total break it has to be Bird Island in the Seychelles, as there’s no radio, telephone or internet and you really do just shut down. Being in the limelight and being busy all the time means it’s nice to simply disappear sometimes.
Where’s next on the bucket list?
Oh wow. I think it would have to be South America. Specifically, Argentina and Peru. I’ve still not been. I have got to make it happen.
