Michel Roux, Jr. - Biography

Biography

Born in Pembury, Kent, he is the son of fellow Michelin starred chef Albert Roux, and the nephew of Michel Roux. He undertook apprenticeship work with Master Patissier, Hellegouarche in Paris. From summer 1979 through January 1980, he worked as a commis de cuisine at Le Gavroche, under both his father and his uncle. He then spent two years as a commis de cuisine trainee under Alain Chapel at his hotel and restaurant in Mionnay, in the Rhône-Alpes region near Lyon.

After undertaking basic training with the French Army, from February 1982 to March 1983 he served his military service at the Elysee Palace, working for both Presidents Giscard d'Estaing and François Mitterrand. Having finished his military service, Roux then worked for four months in Paris: two months at Charcuterie Gérard Mothu in St-Mandé; and then two months at Boucherie Lamartine on the Avenue Victor-Hugo.

Returning to London, in August 1983 he learned accountancy at Finlay Robertson, before becoming the Sous Chef at Gavvers. He then took the opportunity to work with renowned chef Pierre Koffman at his Chelsea restaurant La Tante Claire, reverting to the rank of Commis Chef to do so. From October to December 1983, he worked at the Mandarin Hotel, Hong Kong.

Having served his apprenticeship and training mainly away from the Roux brothers' British business empire, he joined his uncle at the Waterside Inn, in Bray, Berkshire in 1985, before working with his father at Le Gavroche from the April of the same year. He then worked in and managed the Roux brothers catering business for three years, before returning to Le Gavroche in 1990, the year the two brothers split their business down family lines. When his father retired in 1993, Michel Jr took over the world famous restaurant.

A food consultant to the Walbrook club since 2003, he also consults for the fine dining providers Restaurant Associates. Roux has also written several books, including Le Gavroche Cookbook; The Marathon Chef; and Matching Food and Wine, which was named the best book on matching wine and food at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Roux has made various television appearances, including on his friend Gordon Ramsay's ITV1 produced Hell's Kitchen, and as an expert judge on BBC2's professional edition of MasterChef, and on "Junior Bake Off" also 'The Apprentice UK series 7'. In 2012 he appeared as a guest judge on Masterchef South Africa. In 2013, Roux began presenting the new series of BBC Two's Food and Drink alongside wine expert Kate Goodman and a different celebrity chef as guest each week.