In early January, chef Albert Roux, the man who brought French cuisine to London, died at the age of 85. His restaurant, Le Gavroche, was the first in Britain to be awarded three Michelin stars. The sad news was published on the restaurant's website, citing the family.
Albert Roux and his brother Michel, who died last year, took London gastronomy to a new, much higher level when they opened Le Gavroche in 1967. The choice of name was inspired by the emblematic character in Victor Hugo's novel The Wretched.
In the sixties and seventies, Le Gavroche was the only restaurant serving French cuisine in the British capital, the first to receive one, then two and then three Michelin stars, and the first Michelin-starred establishment to offer a fixed-price lunch.
The restaurant moved to Mayfair in 1982 and now has two Michelin stars.
„He has been a mentor to many in the hospitality industry, a true inspiration to aspiring chefs like myself,” said Dr. Michel Roux, son of the deceased, who has been running the restaurant since 1991.
According to the Michelin Guide's Twitter post, Albert Roux was „the father of British restaurants” and „his memory will live on forever thanks to the many chefs who have visited his kitchen”. Among the latter are Pierre Koffmann, Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay, who wrote on his Instagram tribute to Roux: „He was a legend. He brought gastronomy to Britain”.
In a 2016 interview, Albert Roux was asked what his main motivation was. He replied. It makes me happy when I train chefs and, let's say, make racehorses out of chicks. I could never give that up.„
source: nytimes.com
