Renowned chef Michel Roux was raised in Kent where his father Albert Roux OBE worked as a private chef for the Cazalet family. After deciding to follow in his father’s footsteps, he left school at 16 for several challenging apprenticeships at Maître Patissier, Hellegouarche in Paris from 1976 to 1979. He was then Commis de Cuisine at Alain Chapel’s signature restaurant, which Michel cites as his biggest influence. His military service was spent in the kitchens at the Elysée Palace at the time of Presidents Giscard d’Estaing and François Mitterrand.
After a stint at the Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong, he returned to London and worked at La Tante Claire before joining the family business. He took over running Le Gavroche from his father in 1991, and has maintained the restaurant’s global reputation for unparalleled culinary excellence ever since.
Alongside overseeing the food and beverage outlets at The Langham, London, including Palm Court and The Wigmore, Michel operates Chez Roux, which he founded with his late father. Chez Roux is the culinary dynasty’s catering arm, which offers unparalleled food, drink, and service at your home or chosen venue, alongside hospitality at prestigious sporting events including the Wimbledon Championships.
Michel has published a number of bestselling cookbooks and is a familiar face on our TV screens, having appeared on shows such as MasterChef: The Professionals, Great British Food Revival, Food and Drink, Michel Roux’s Service, Kitchen Impossible, First-Class Chefs, Hidden Kitchens, Tried and Tasted: The Ultimate Shopping List, and Michel Roux’s French Country Kitchen. He is also Co-Chairman of The Roux Scholarship, along with his cousin Alain Roux.
