A mates dad was retiring and his company down in Kent asked if they could get him a special treat and he asked for dinner with his family at La Gavroche - they went and they enjoyed a fine meal and the waiter asked if it was a special event - they said it was a retirement. They were stunned that Michel came over and spent time with them - his dad had a the most incredible and wonderful evening. They might never be back but that mattered not - what a true gentleman!!!
We went to the restaurant for our wedding anniversary, sadly it was one of the nights he wasnt there. However a couple of weeks later we received a copy of the menu through the post with a handwritten note from the man himself. Thanks Michel!
Great video and a fantastic chef, I went to the restaurant twice, one of the visits was for my 50tg birthday, Michel served me a soufflé and wrote happy birthday around the edge of the plate, plus he came out of the kitchen, sat with me for 15mins wished me a happy birthday and we talked about all sorts, a great man, a genuine man and I wish him every success in his next venture
I’m gutted. It was my dream since I was a teenager to go to that restaurant one day, especially getting to take a partner. I literally used to have dreams, actual nighttime dreams, about eating there. And unfortunately I never got to, sucks. The cheese soufflé, the duck press thingy, I just so wish I got to go. I’m poor as fuck but I’d have appreciated it more than anybody
At 74k views, I feel like this video is being slept on a bit. What a treat this was. The RUclips algorithm does occasionally do a good job! Brilliant interview.
Thank you for sharing this. Michelle Roux Jr is one of the nicest, most sincere, generously warm of character individual that ever graced the world of food or indeed the world as we know it.
A fabulous watch. I had the honor and the enormous pleasure of working with Michel on a TV show. A genuinely top man, professional, kind, funny, inclusive. Really enjoyed this podcast - thanks guys!
I’ve always admired the way Michel shows his love of eating food. It’s not all for show and accolades it’s for the pure excitement of eating something amazing.
For someone from such an intense industry he's almost absurdly nice! Glad to read all the comments from people with real life experiences of him confirming this.
Such a nice guy. Took my wife there for her birthday a few years ago, fantastic meal and Michel came and said hi afterwards (he would do this for everyone if he was working that night).
I was completely won over by Michel when he brought the tv series "Service" to our screens. He was kind & patient to complete novices & I found the whole series fascinating. Thank you Michel.
First time watching for me and I cannot think of a better guest to start with. Very enjoyable conversation and I especially enjoyed the obvious culinary knowledge of the interviewers. The format was also excellent.
My wife and I visited Le Gavroche for the first time a few months before it closed. The Swiss souffle was out of this world. Michel spoke to us for a couple of minutes and had his photo taken with us. What an unbelievable experience.
My first time to your channel, you did a great job with an absolutely fantastic guest! He is the most genuine, talented chef I’ve come across, I believe his father was the same.
I can really relate to his comments at 00:23:29 - I've said something similar to family and friends before, because I'll even cook for things like my own birthday, and I'll tell them it's because making other people happy with food I've made is the absolute best thing. There isn't much else in life that fulfils me more than seeing someone take a bite of something I've made, and to see them smile. It's the best.
Great interview, good bloke.. My Dad would agree egg goes with anything, he grew up in the war and still puts a fried egg on the side of any meal as an extra treat !
Love him great chef from an exceptional family of chefs. sadly didnt get to go to his restaurant saw it online looked amazing. love his programmes seems humble and what ive heard seems like a lovely man aswell 😊❤ enjoyed this thanks for posting
I got to met his uncle and he was a wonderful person. The whole family show great dignity and skill in what they do. Their love for cooking is clear to see and I wish Michel joy and happiness in whatever he does.
Michel being in the restaurant and talking to his customers enhanced the experience of eating in the La Gavroche. One of the best restaurants I have ever been in - food, service & ambiance 👏👏👏👏
I think Marcus is fantastic on Masterchef Pro. UK, but Michel is THE reason I first started watching and became a huge fan of the show. I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but in the last couple seasons, I cannot handle Greg. I don't know why. - I try and catch episodes here and there when he's not in it. ❤ from across the pond 🇨🇦
@@Psylaine64 Perhaps my opinion wasn't that unpopular. He just struck me as the kid in high school trying so hard to be cool and was just the opposite.
@@Psylaine64 Follow up - I had NO idea there were these ''allegations" against him recently! I didn't think he was pervy, I just thought him annoying AF.
Definitely too full of himself. And constantly trying to remind us he is working class! Which he so is not, not any more. he's just another super-rich celeb - with an accent. he ought to get over himself, and maybe recent events will encourage that.
@@paulolsen602 Not great but not awful. He says he overlooked it and, on being made aware of the issue, has raised pay and given back pay. The issue is not simply explicitly paying people at a rate below the minimum allowed. The issue appears to be that the staff were not being paid by the hour and some did very long hours, so that their average pay per hour fell below the minimum. This detail is not clearly explained in the Guardian or in the BBC article covering the same story. They are more interested in painting the restaurant as exploitative. It may have been, but a lot of the articles are using insinuation rather than facts.
@@matthewleitch1That’s interesting expansion on the story. If he made up with back pay that seems like decent gesture. Thank you for sharing. We will never know all the true facts from the inside vs creative journalism.
Yep, no way he didn't know what was going on - it was a large part of the industry, and still exists. What I would say, but not in mitigation or as a justification, is that you go to work in these places to enhance your cv and trade up from the experience. So it's like a quid pro quo. You suffer it for the long term benefits - and the employer is well aware of this.
Great interview thanks fellas, and happy new year to you all. Checking out your other interviews . . . not too many women on there, are there! Maybe try a bit harder.
Oh to have been able to work in this mans kitchen would have been a dream come true, a wonderful chef and a genuinely kind gentleman, a rarity in the kitchen.
Has an amazing evening at Le Gavroche pre the lockdowns... It was a Taittinger Champagne themed evening for press / journalists and Michel was there - Somewhere we have some nice photos all together. Lovely location, great restaurant... now a part of gastronomic history!
I really miss La Gavroche, it was a beautiful place to visit, everything just felt right, it was a little bastion of traditional French cuisine in London, a bulwalk against the omnipresent foam so to speak. I miss going to the waterside inn too, back in 2003 we would stay in the riviere when I was on leave from the army and I would stand by the water smoking a cigar chatting to Michel Roux senior's little dog who barked at all the guests apart from me 😊
Him saying about hours was a bit of a joke.. I’ve first hand experience of working over 100 hours on a 40 hour contract as a head chef in the chez roux company was my last full time job as an employee 🎉🎉
Was money that should(!!) have gone to staff kept by the restaurant? - like Le Gavroche. Did staff at your restaurant get paid below legal minimal wage? - like Le Gavroche.
I went to Le Gavroche in 1967, soon after it opened, early in the evening. I was seized upon by M. Roux, who was working on the principle of catch'em young, which worked. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to ask "What would you like me to eat?", the result was astounding. I looked at the wine list, mostly beyond my youthful purse, and settled on a half bottle of champagne from as close to my birth year as possible. Some things one never forgets.
@@ChrisM541 Nope. I worked in the Uni vacations in a stockbroking firm, I got paid barely more than it cost to travel to work and buy a copy of the FT. In those days vintage half bottles of champagne were the only affordable wines on the list.
Ate here about 15-20 times and I always organised the Christmas lunch for the department . My boss said NO. We are not eating there. Why. No answer. My response was OK you sort it. he came back at 30% more 40% more. The truth out. He didn't want to sign a bill that had Le Gavroche printed at the top. Unable to sort anything in time I ended up doing everything. I paid a small deposit of £500.00.I picked up the bill and paid for it. I claimed for it. Both within my budget Eventually my boss said "how did you make that go away?" The food, the service - everything was superb (when they owned the building next door). So every year - back to Le Gavroche. They nearly buggered it up. The last year I worked they insisted that I need not pay a deposit. No I insist. really; there is no need. But I insist I pay a small deposit. Didn't want Le Gavroche buggering my accounting/budgetry prowess. No I didn't work for BP but you'd be close.
Great listen, thanks. Totally agree regarding the Sauce Bernaise, having all the reduction elements left in. Have made hundred of litres in my career, mostly passed through a chinoise. However, when ive made for myself, family, friends Always left the reduction ingredients in, give it such depth of texture and flavours......Thanks all for the interview 🥖🍽🍴🔪😊
A true gentleman, his response about the young people was spot on this absolutely terrible idea that people should be slaves to their employers is such a sick and twisted view of life, populated by those that benefit from this exploitation.
The real reason is because the restaurant and its food was severely outdated. Many small businesses survived lockdown. It was a brilliantly coincidental excuse.
That’s ridiculous btw, the restaurant was always fully booked months in advance. They deliberately served a classic French cuisine that harkened back to an older and nostalgic culinary tradition. He could have stayed open easily.
I remember gordan Ramsey saying something like after getting paid on a Saturday. The kitchen lads will hit Chinatown with four hundred quid in their back pocket. Sounds like that four hundred quid was hard earned
Yes but as an adult with 5 or 10 years experience at the Le Gavroche on your CV and a letter of recommendation/reference from them then the world is your oyster.
Surprising to hear that Mr Roux has retained all rights to the name Le Gavroche, the name of a street urchin who first saw the light of day in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables. He figured prominently 'manning' the barricades of Paris during the French revolution. His image was also immortalized in a Delacroix painting bearing the French flag atop of the amassed cobblestones. Mr Roux must, most probably, have taken a patent out on it. He did emphasize proprietorship. I say surprising for two reasons. First, the French who are fiercely proud of their country do not not take kindly, to say the least, to a person of whatever nationality who would dare appropriate a name which represents and reflects a significant part of their culture and history. Second, there are two establishments in Paris already bearing the same name, Le Petit Gavroche. The first is a bar/restaurant in the Marais, situated in rue Ste Croix de la Bretonnerie. It was there in the 80's, and had long existed before that time, when i lived and worked in Paris. I used to frequent the place. It was cheap and i had very little money. All of this has long become gentrified and up-market alas. Beaubourg is a few minutes up the road. The Bastille is 10 minutes on foot as the crow flies in the opposite direction. The second is Le Gavroche Bar-à-Vins in the 2nd arrondissement, 19, rue Saint Marc. I am not sure how long this establishment has been in existence. So Mr Roux's Le Gavroche has his competitors, waif of the same name, in Paris... and all over France i would imagine. I do wonder though what the man himself, Victor, would think of all this, not to mention all his descendants still alive and roaming this earth and who bear direct lineage to the great author. All this can be verified on Google.
I ate there once and it was very disappointing. The portions were meager, the wine was not very good and being suck on a tina table where being worried about something dropping off the table was also a concern. When we heard that Roux kept the tips intended for the staff was the last step. Glad to see the back of it.
Most of the English-speaking world is good at food diversity as most of the countries don’t really have strong national cuisines of their own; they have also been magnets for worldwide migration which has added to this diversity.
When l lived in France,,my wife who was heavily pregnant was craving fondue saviourd (spelling sorry the cheese one) only ever made for 2 people sharing,,,so l had no choice,,,,Anyhoo,,eating this 3 times a week,,,,,but the most delicious thing ever was when the pot was empty,,,they would put a tiny splash of Kir into the residue cheese oil/fat then crack a FRESH egg and it lightly scrambled,,,,,,most wonderful thing ,,,sublime....
Have to agree with you there. Perhaps he has significant investment in concerns (such as Gordon Ramsay) that are heavily invested in Vegas. For those of us who have respected and defended Michel Roux Jr, and who are lucky enough to have dined in many cities, his taste is not in question. Which leaves, sadly, only his integrity.
Never ever does anyone choose to close a business because it's booming. So probably become jaded and fading, and sorry to say, beginning to fail. The more we become multicultural the more different food we try and the more we understand that chucking a sauce over a blandly cooked chunk of meat, fish or veg, really doesn't cut it. Only this second have I heard criticism by a well known chef on TV of classic French cuisine which is now becoming outdated and has losing its way. Michelle Roux Jr is a smashing bloke with no pretence or prima donna attitude as displayed by many chefs, but let's not put lipstick on the pig. The reasons for leaving the BBC are also moot. And I hope he won't end up as many celeb. chefs do, in trying to find a way back in.
Your thesis is flawed, Britain has had multicultural cuisine for decades. French cuisine is still the best in the world for flavour. Its techniques are designed to bring out every last piece of flavour.
I’ve worked for Michel on a few occasions and have experienced the pain and the hours that go into producing his food. So Im afraid you don’t know what you are talking about mate.
I’d say folks at the top end are still doing very nicely, thanks very much. Your local high street fish and chip shop or Indian might tell a different story.
When I eat in a 3 star restaurant which I rarely do, I nearly always feel the real chefs have taken the night off, for whatever reason I am not getting the 3 star experience.
He is notorious for stealing staff tips and pretending it was a misunderstanding ,being millionaire not enough ,complined staff wouldnt work 100 hours a week with no overtime
I am for a 100% free speech but you must have strong proofs to say that because free speech is all about opinion which cannot be right or wrong so cannot be sued …totally different from defamation.
you go into a pub now and it’s £7 a pint, wine out is well over £20 cheapest bottle and unfortunately it’s not going to get better, so pleasures in life are getting more and more expensive, i went out with my family for a lunch recently and three kids, five adults cost £365 that is farcical and they have been taking for to long! its never going to change, but footfall will decrease!
Sadly the whole catering business is the same i come from a fishmonger business normal hours are 2.30 am until 9 pm 6 days a week immposible to get staff
Great podcast and all ! But at what point does Michele digress about Masterchef ? Why or what were the reasons for leaving the BBC ? A once pivotal career move into Television, transitioning from chef to celebrity chef but they again fail to provide or convey the reasons why ? Why did he leave ? Its the exact same script of displaying "catchechisms" or "got ya" moments, like Gordon Ramsey being a bully ! or Jason Atherton & Marcus Wareing being insufferable & aggressive !!! These are clear clickbaiting ads. Now c'mon man ? These podcasts are great, dont ruin them !!!!!!
I went to the restaurant in 2021... The worst experience at a Michelin star restaurant i have ever had. Lazy uninspired cooking in a very old tired setting.
First of all this is an iconic setting which you know nothing about and it never needed to change, very classy, yes maybe not clean and clinical and up to date. I took my husband for his 60th as Michel Roux is my husbands favourite chef and he signed a cook cook whilst there and took the time to talk to us such a lovely guy. Yes the menu was old fashioned but you will never know how important the Roux family have influenced english/ French cuisine in this country and how many chefs have been trained under Roux. Shame it closed but happy Michel has moved on to better things. I only wish the best and hopefully will be privileged to eat at any other restaurant the Roux family own.
@samanthahobson2160 "First of all this is an iconic setting which you know nothing about" Quite the presumptuous start to a tedious contradictory statement filled with typos and poor grammar. Do yourself a favour and put down the Co-op open brand cheap red and type with two hands next time.
I like the guy , but if he did keep the tips of the staff would that be legal? In Spain a bar last year was paying illegally 3 euros an hour, and wanted half the tips. Shocking. Also bars here in Spain where I live you get 5 to 7 euros an hour which is outrageous. Too many bars, that’s the problem and a lot of them running them on lease are working long hours for no profit and a lot go bust as they are not business minded, and haven’t a bloody clue
My wife and I have been fortunate enough to eat in numerous 1,2,3 starred restaurants over the years….in many countries in the world…we ate in Le Gavroche….on our bucket list at the time and it was really no better than a basic bistrot the lighting was very dark, the food average and our server had a French accent so thick that it would ( we speak French) barely be understood anywhere outside Paris….a shame as I have the greatest respect for Michel as a chef…..
@@eightiesmusic1984I am British and speak English but can struggle with English spoken with a strong accent (areas of Scotland, Midlands, Northeast, Southern US).. Silly argument.
A mates dad was retiring and his company down in Kent asked if they could get him a special treat and he asked for dinner with his family at La Gavroche - they went and they enjoyed a fine meal and the waiter asked if it was a special event - they said it was a retirement. They were stunned that Michel came over and spent time with them - his dad had a the most incredible and wonderful evening. They might never be back but that mattered not - what a true gentleman!!!
That's the difference between a very good and a truly great restaurant. A small gesture that means so much for the table.
We went to the restaurant for our wedding anniversary, sadly it was one of the nights he wasnt there. However a couple of weeks later we received a copy of the menu through the post with a handwritten note from the man himself. Thanks Michel!
Great video and a fantastic chef, I went to the restaurant twice, one of the visits was for my 50tg birthday, Michel served me a soufflé and wrote happy birthday around the edge of the plate, plus he came out of the kitchen, sat with me for 15mins wished me a happy birthday and we talked about all sorts, a great man, a genuine man and I wish him every success in his next venture
Oh wow!! So impressive... U must be such a great man (really)!!
I’m gutted. It was my dream since I was a teenager to go to that restaurant one day, especially getting to take a partner. I literally used to have dreams, actual nighttime dreams, about eating there. And unfortunately I never got to, sucks. The cheese soufflé, the duck press thingy, I just so wish I got to go. I’m poor as fuck but I’d have appreciated it more than anybody
At 74k views, I feel like this video is being slept on a bit. What a treat this was. The RUclips algorithm does occasionally do a good job! Brilliant interview.
thankyou so much shane
What a joy to see Michel so relaxed and at ease. A great talker, could listen to him all day. Thanks guys
thankyou andrew
Thank you for sharing this.
Michelle Roux Jr is one of the nicest, most sincere, generously warm of character individual that ever graced the world of food or indeed the world as we know it.
A fabulous watch. I had the honor and the enormous pleasure of working with Michel on a TV show. A genuinely top man, professional, kind, funny, inclusive. Really enjoyed this podcast - thanks guys!
thankyou so much joe
What a lovely chap. Classy and polite. Qualities that money can’t buy.
I’ve always admired the way Michel shows his love of eating food. It’s not all for show and accolades it’s for the pure excitement of eating something amazing.
For someone from such an intense industry he's almost absurdly nice! Glad to read all the comments from people with real life experiences of him confirming this.
Such a nice guy. Took my wife there for her birthday a few years ago, fantastic meal and Michel came and said hi afterwards (he would do this for everyone if he was working that night).
thankyou so much
I was completely won over by Michel when he brought the tv series "Service" to our screens. He was kind & patient to complete novices & I found the whole series fascinating. Thank you Michel.
That kid that couldn't understand why you wouldn't grate the cheddar cheese on the cheese trolley. I still smile about that
I loved that too. It was a shame it didn't last longer.
Really big fan of this man. Living in South Africa I never had the privilege of eating at the restaurant but watched him in action in various shows.
A rare enjoyment here - a lovely hour spent in wonderful company. Thanks guys!
First time watching for me and I cannot think of a better guest to start with. Very enjoyable conversation and I especially enjoyed the obvious culinary knowledge of the interviewers. The format was also excellent.
Thankyou Tony
My wife and I visited Le Gavroche for the first time a few months before it closed. The Swiss souffle was out of this world. Michel spoke to us for a couple of minutes and had his photo taken with us. What an unbelievable experience.
My first time to your channel, you did a great job with an absolutely fantastic guest! He is the most genuine, talented chef I’ve come across, I believe his father was the same.
thankyou so much, I hope we've got a new subscriber.
Sweet Child in Time by DP! Marvellous choice. Great interview!
Just found you guys in my channel feed. Saw Michel and couldn't stop watching. Subscribed. Thanks! 😊
Really enjoyed that interview, he comes across a really down to earth bloke.
This was a great listen.
Great chef.
The Roux family need a Blue Plaque on that building.
One of the greatest chef in the world. All his TV shows are always so inspiring.
I can really relate to his comments at 00:23:29 - I've said something similar to family and friends before, because I'll even cook for things like my own birthday, and I'll tell them it's because making other people happy with food I've made is the absolute best thing. There isn't much else in life that fulfils me more than seeing someone take a bite of something I've made, and to see them smile. It's the best.
Spot on mate,,,,
Hard agree with this. It's why I cook too
You are such an interesting and down to earth man, thank you.
Great interview, good bloke.. My Dad would agree egg goes with anything, he grew up in the war and still puts a fried egg on the side of any meal as an extra treat !
Lovely lovely man x
Love him great chef from an exceptional family of chefs. sadly didnt get to go to his restaurant saw it online looked amazing. love his programmes seems humble and what ive heard seems like a lovely man aswell 😊❤ enjoyed this thanks for posting
Brilliant interview.
Congrats.x
thankyou so much
Another South African who would have loved to have met this brilliant chef and eaten at his restaurant.
I got to met his uncle and he was a wonderful person. The whole family show great dignity and skill in what they do.
Their love for cooking is clear to see and I wish Michel joy and happiness in whatever he does.
Great to see Michel looking so well.
Michel being in the restaurant and talking to his customers enhanced the experience of eating in the La Gavroche. One of the best restaurants I have ever been in - food, service & ambiance 👏👏👏👏
A great chef and a truly decent gentleman.
Great to see this! At 64, it's going to be great to see what he's doing next. Le Gavroche is still alive, and will be at Wimbledon '25.
I think Marcus is fantastic on Masterchef Pro. UK, but Michel is THE reason I first started watching and became a huge fan of the show. I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but in the last couple seasons, I cannot handle Greg. I don't know why. - I try and catch episodes here and there when he's not in it.
❤ from across the pond 🇨🇦
I think that was forshadowing lol
@@Psylaine64 Perhaps my opinion wasn't that unpopular. He just struck me as the kid in high school trying so hard to be cool and was just the opposite.
@@Psylaine64 Follow up - I had NO idea there were these ''allegations" against him recently! I didn't think he was pervy, I just thought him annoying AF.
Definitely too full of himself. And constantly trying to remind us he is working class! Which he so is not, not any more. he's just another super-rich celeb - with an accent. he ought to get over himself, and maybe recent events will encourage that.
Michel is not only a fantastic chef he is also a lovely man.
Fabulous podcast. Subscribed!
Michel was so good on Masterchef because of coming over as such a nice guy, even a nice boss in an industry famous for stress and kitchen heat.
Check out his record on paying National Minimum Wage to his staff. Not great
@@paulolsen602 Not great but not awful. He says he overlooked it and, on being made aware of the issue, has raised pay and given back pay. The issue is not simply explicitly paying people at a rate below the minimum allowed. The issue appears to be that the staff were not being paid by the hour and some did very long hours, so that their average pay per hour fell below the minimum. This detail is not clearly explained in the Guardian or in the BBC article covering the same story. They are more interested in painting the restaurant as exploitative. It may have been, but a lot of the articles are using insinuation rather than facts.
@@matthewleitch1That’s interesting expansion on the story. If he made up with back pay that seems like decent gesture. Thank you for sharing. We will never know all the true facts from the inside vs creative journalism.
Yep, no way he didn't know what was going on - it was a large part of the industry, and still exists. What I would say, but not in mitigation or as a justification, is that you go to work in these places to enhance your cv and trade up from the experience. So it's like a quid pro quo. You suffer it for the long term benefits - and the employer is well aware of this.
Great interview,.
thankyou so much
What a great interview - not sure how these guys have so few subscribers...
Totally agree on both points. Lovely guy.
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it, please check out our other interviews when you get a chance.
Maybe it's because they delete viewer comments for no reason and don't put timestamps in their videos.
And their grammar is excellent too, not that that matters. Or does it?
@@mst4745 Wrong BOZO
Love this. Great interview
Thankyou so much Edward
Great interview thanks fellas, and happy new year to you all. Checking out your other interviews . . . not too many women on there, are there! Maybe try a bit harder.
Top upper middle class podcast - we need more of it!
Absolutely loved this
Great pod guys
thankyou hugo
Great episode!!
Great interview, chaps! A good wander about Mr Roux's brain. Fab!
Oh to have been able to work in this mans kitchen would have been a dream come true, a wonderful chef and a genuinely kind gentleman, a rarity in the kitchen.
Great interview, guys.
This is what my mum made on special days. Also it was the best, super delicious
FYI, the timestamps are completely wrong. The masterchef part starts around @45:31, not @43:10
Has an amazing evening at Le Gavroche pre the lockdowns... It was a Taittinger Champagne themed evening for press / journalists and Michel was there - Somewhere we have some nice photos all together. Lovely location, great restaurant... now a part of gastronomic history!
Such a wonderful gentleman!! Kind, humble, heroic...
...and one that, for years and years, he stole money from tips etc that SHOULD have went to his staff ;)
excellent
Thank you 👍
I really miss La Gavroche, it was a beautiful place to visit, everything just felt right, it was a little bastion of traditional French cuisine in London, a bulwalk against the omnipresent foam so to speak.
I miss going to the waterside inn too, back in 2003 we would stay in the riviere when I was on leave from the army and I would stand by the water smoking a cigar chatting to Michel Roux senior's little dog who barked at all the guests apart from me 😊
Him saying about hours was a bit of a joke.. I’ve first hand experience of working over 100 hours on a 40 hour contract as a head chef in the chez roux company was my last full time job as an employee 🎉🎉
Was money that should(!!) have gone to staff kept by the restaurant? - like Le Gavroche. Did staff at your restaurant get paid below legal minimal wage? - like Le Gavroche.
Had a wonderful meal there in early seventies Happy days
I went to Le Gavroche in 1967, soon after it opened, early in the evening. I was seized upon by M. Roux, who was working on the principle of catch'em young, which worked. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to ask "What would you like me to eat?", the result was astounding. I looked at the wine list, mostly beyond my youthful purse, and settled on a half bottle of champagne from as close to my birth year as possible. Some things one never forgets.
What a load of nonsense...
@@nigellee9824 You obviously weren't there
@@uberseehandelneither were you 😅
So you were doing very, very, very well for yourself as a kid in 1967. Dich daddy and mommy!
@@ChrisM541 Nope.
I worked in the Uni vacations in a stockbroking firm, I got paid barely more than it cost to travel to work and buy a copy of the FT. In those days vintage half bottles of champagne were the only affordable wines on the list.
Ate here about 15-20 times and I always organised the Christmas lunch for the department . My boss said NO. We are not eating there. Why. No answer. My response was OK you sort it. he came back at 30% more 40% more. The truth out. He didn't want to sign a bill that had Le Gavroche printed at the top. Unable to sort anything in time I ended up doing everything. I paid a small deposit of £500.00.I picked up the bill and paid for it. I claimed for it. Both within my budget Eventually my boss said "how did you make that go away?" The food, the service - everything was superb (when they owned the building next door). So every year - back to Le Gavroche. They nearly buggered it up. The last year I worked they insisted that I need not pay a deposit. No I insist. really; there is no need. But I insist I pay a small deposit. Didn't want Le Gavroche buggering my accounting/budgetry prowess.
No I didn't work for BP but you'd be close.
Great listen, thanks.
Totally agree regarding the Sauce Bernaise, having all the reduction elements left in. Have made hundred of litres in my career, mostly passed through a chinoise. However, when ive made for myself, family, friends Always left the reduction ingredients in, give it such depth of texture and flavours......Thanks all for the interview 🥖🍽🍴🔪😊
Thanks so much Gary
Not a fan of tarragon myself.
Guy Mouilleron's Restaurant " Ma Cuisine" Was a very close 2nd to "Le Gavroche " when it came to classic French dishes .
Any idea what the balham restaurant was? Balham Social?
How is he not the size of a house? Lovely man.
Give this man a tip!
A true gentleman, his response about the young people was spot on this absolutely terrible idea that people should be slaves to their employers is such a sick and twisted view of life, populated by those that benefit from this exploitation.
The real reason is because the restaurant and its food was severely outdated.
Many small businesses survived lockdown. It was a brilliantly coincidental excuse.
That’s ridiculous btw, the restaurant was always fully booked months in advance. They deliberately served a classic French cuisine that harkened back to an older and nostalgic culinary tradition. He could have stayed open easily.
@@rsb8380 Wrong. It wasn't booked out in advance for decades.
Don't lie.
And of course, you would know...🙃@@BD4-ManchesterIsRed
@@BD4-ManchesterIsRedBTW, Manchester has been BLUE for over a decade, hope this helps. 😊
@@DesSaunders-e4n Sorry to upset you, but it really hasn't.
When you've won a quarter of what we have, you still can't claim that 🤣
Eh, 65 hours A week for 5.50 an hour makes me feel less shite about not getting into Gavroche as A teenager
If you don't like working at a place with those wages and hours, don't work there.
I remember gordan Ramsey saying something like after getting paid on a Saturday. The kitchen lads will hit Chinatown with four hundred quid in their back pocket. Sounds like that four hundred quid was hard earned
Yes but as an adult with 5 or 10 years experience at the Le Gavroche on your CV and a letter of recommendation/reference from them then the world is your oyster.
@hertsman5 your oyster to work your butt off in any kitchen in the world. Not to play and enjoy~
Surprising to hear that Mr Roux has retained all rights to the name Le Gavroche, the name of a street urchin who first saw the light of day in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables. He figured prominently 'manning' the barricades of Paris during the French revolution. His image was also immortalized in a Delacroix painting bearing the French flag atop of the amassed cobblestones. Mr Roux must, most probably, have taken a patent out on it. He did emphasize proprietorship.
I say surprising for two reasons.
First, the French who are fiercely proud of their country do not not take kindly, to say the least, to a person of whatever nationality who would dare appropriate a name which represents and reflects a significant part of their culture and history.
Second, there are two establishments in Paris already bearing the same name, Le Petit Gavroche. The first is a bar/restaurant in the Marais, situated in rue Ste Croix de la Bretonnerie. It was there in the 80's, and had long existed before that time, when i lived and worked in Paris. I used to frequent the place. It was cheap and i had very little money. All of this has long become gentrified and up-market alas. Beaubourg is a few minutes up the road. The Bastille is 10 minutes on foot as the crow flies in the opposite direction. The second is Le Gavroche Bar-à-Vins in the 2nd arrondissement, 19, rue Saint Marc. I am not sure how long this establishment has been in existence.
So Mr Roux's Le Gavroche has his competitors, waif of the same name, in Paris... and all over France i would imagine. I do wonder though what the man himself, Victor, would think of all this, not to mention all his descendants still alive and roaming this earth and who bear direct lineage to the great author. All this can be verified on Google.
His legal right to exclusive use of the name almost certainly ends at the water's edge, which I would guess is his primary concern in any case.
I ate there once and it was very disappointing. The portions were meager, the wine was not very good and being suck on a tina table where being worried about something dropping off the table was also a concern. When we heard that Roux kept the tips intended for the staff was the last step. Glad to see the back of it.
There are very few things better than proper ham, the kind that crumbles.
I think traditional baguette butter ham, maybe some Dijon and choucroute
Hope you enjoyed the waiter’s tips
Love Michel, what a gent class act 🤩
You want great food and diversity of cuisine? Try Melbourne in Australia!
Most of the English-speaking world is good at food diversity as most of the countries don’t really have strong national cuisines of their own; they have also been magnets for worldwide migration which has added to this diversity.
When l lived in France,,my wife who was heavily pregnant was craving fondue saviourd (spelling sorry the cheese one) only ever made for 2 people sharing,,,so l had no choice,,,,Anyhoo,,eating this 3 times a week,,,,,but the most delicious thing ever was when the pot was empty,,,they would put a tiny splash of Kir into the residue cheese oil/fat then crack a FRESH egg and it lightly scrambled,,,,,,most wonderful thing ,,,sublime....
Vegas?! That was a REAL shock, can’t stand the place personally………….
Have to agree with you there. Perhaps he has significant investment in concerns (such as Gordon Ramsay) that are heavily invested in Vegas. For those of us who have respected and defended Michel Roux Jr, and who are lucky enough to have dined in many cities, his taste is not in question. Which leaves, sadly, only his integrity.
The milk fed Pyrenean lamb. Now that was a dish.
Never ever does anyone choose to close a business because it's booming. So probably become jaded and fading, and sorry to say, beginning to fail. The more we become multicultural the more different food we try and the more we understand that chucking a sauce over a blandly cooked chunk of meat, fish or veg, really doesn't cut it. Only this second have I heard criticism by a well known chef on TV of classic French cuisine which is now becoming outdated and has losing its way. Michelle Roux Jr is a smashing bloke with no pretence or prima donna attitude as displayed by many chefs, but let's not put lipstick on the pig. The reasons for leaving the BBC are also moot. And I hope he won't end up as many celeb. chefs do, in trying to find a way back in.
Your thesis is flawed, Britain has had multicultural cuisine for decades. French cuisine is still the best in the world for flavour. Its techniques are designed to bring out every last piece of flavour.
Was probably going to lose another star or both 😂😂😂
Most memorable dish on the menu at Le Gavroche? Lobster mousse!!
The man that used to keep all tips
Is the answer 'money'?
Never been, but have dined in top quality restaurant's, and it's all over rated as to the price, just hype..
I’ve worked for Michel on a few occasions and have experienced the pain and the hours that go into producing his food. So Im afraid you don’t know what you are talking about mate.
Considering how difficult things are financially when i eat out im constantly surprised at how busy everywhere i visit actually is.
I’d say folks at the top end are still doing very nicely, thanks very much. Your local high street fish and chip shop or Indian might tell a different story.
No time stamps?
When I eat in a 3 star restaurant which I rarely do, I nearly always feel the real chefs have taken the night off, for whatever reason I am not getting the 3 star experience.
A week a go we had a group who spend 120 k euro on wine
He is notorious for stealing staff tips and pretending it was a misunderstanding ,being millionaire not enough ,complined staff wouldnt work 100 hours a week with no overtime
the guy is a total mean plonker ....i wouldnt eat a meal of his even if it was free.
Wow that's quite an accusation
I am for a 100% free speech but you must have strong proofs to say that because free speech is all about opinion which cannot be right or wrong so cannot be sued …totally different from defamation.
@@kingk2405it’s literally been published
Yet another idiot that throws an acusation with no proof
8:34 ❤
you go into a pub now and it’s £7 a pint, wine out is well over £20 cheapest bottle and unfortunately it’s not going to get better, so pleasures in life are getting more and more expensive, i went out with my family for a lunch recently and three kids, five adults cost £365 that is farcical and they have been taking for to long! its never going to change, but footfall will decrease!
What a legend! Big up Michel and big up them carambars and rotisserie chicken with potatoes boshh
Sadly the whole catering business is the same i come from a fishmonger business normal hours are 2.30 am until 9 pm 6 days a week immposible to get staff
He keeps the tips
and paid below national minimum wage...disgusting
against the law now - finally.
What a gentelman ! What a chef! Wonderful person!
Great podcast and all ! But at what point does Michele digress about Masterchef ? Why or what were the reasons for leaving the BBC ? A once pivotal career move into Television, transitioning from chef to celebrity chef but they again fail to provide or convey the reasons why ? Why did he leave ? Its the exact same script of displaying "catchechisms" or "got ya" moments, like Gordon Ramsey being a bully ! or Jason Atherton & Marcus Wareing being insufferable & aggressive !!!
These are clear clickbaiting ads. Now c'mon man ? These podcasts are great, dont ruin them !!!!!!
?? I've never heard of him.
I went to the restaurant in 2021... The worst experience at a Michelin star restaurant i have ever had. Lazy uninspired cooking in a very old tired setting.
First of all this is an iconic setting which you know nothing about and it never needed to change, very classy, yes maybe not clean and clinical and up to date. I took my husband for his 60th as Michel Roux is my husbands favourite chef and he signed a cook cook whilst there and took the time to talk to us such a lovely guy. Yes the menu was old fashioned but you will never know how important the Roux family have influenced english/ French cuisine in this country and how many
chefs have been trained under Roux. Shame it closed but happy Michel has moved on to better things. I only wish the best and hopefully will be privileged to eat at any other restaurant the Roux family own.
@samanthahobson2160 "First of all this is an iconic setting which you know nothing about"
Quite the presumptuous start to a tedious contradictory statement filled with typos and poor grammar. Do yourself a favour and put down the Co-op open brand cheap red and type with two hands next time.
@@personalsighget out more
I ate out there and it was good but I felt only 2 star because of heritage . And the dessert was quite boring
I like the guy , but if he did keep the tips of the staff would that be legal? In Spain a bar last year was paying illegally 3 euros an hour, and wanted half the tips. Shocking. Also bars here in Spain where I live you get 5 to 7 euros an hour which is outrageous. Too many bars, that’s the problem and a lot of them running them on lease are working long hours for no profit and a lot go bust as they are not business minded, and haven’t a bloody clue
My wife and I have been fortunate enough to eat in numerous 1,2,3 starred restaurants over the years….in many countries in the world…we ate in Le Gavroche….on our bucket list at the time and it was really no better than a basic bistrot the lighting was very dark, the food average and our server had a French accent so thick that it would ( we speak French) barely be understood anywhere outside Paris….a shame as I have the greatest respect for Michel as a chef…..
If you speak French you can understand the accent from anywhere in the country.
@@eightiesmusic1984I am British and speak English but can struggle with English spoken with a strong accent (areas of Scotland, Midlands, Northeast, Southern US).. Silly argument.
@@jackiedelvalle Don't be so hard on yourself. Just pay attention to people and you will understand them and don't be so ignorant.
BBC EdPol's rooted in Common Purpose, which has poisoned the entire Arts scene with administrators lacking any expérience in the sector.
Is it true he stole the tips