Albert Roux

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French chef and restaurateur (1935–2021)

title: "Albert Roux" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1935-births", "2021-deaths", "french-chefs", "french-emigrants-to-england", "french-military-personnel-of-the-algerian-war", "french-restaurateurs", "head-chefs-of-michelin-starred-restaurants", "honorary-officers-of-the-order-of-the-british-empire", "people-from-charolles", "people-from-saône-et-loire", "roux-family"] description: "French chef and restaurateur (1935–2021)" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Roux" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary French chef and restaurateur (1935–2021) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox chef "]

FieldValue
nameAlbert Roux
honorific_suffix
imageChefAlbertRouxbyRichardVines.jpg
captionRoux in 2010
birth_date
birth_placeSemur-en-Brionnais, France
death_date
death_placeLondon, England
styleFrench
ratingsMichelin stars (1982–1993)
prevrestsLe Gavroche, Mayfair, London (formerly )
Waterside Inn, Bray, Berkshire
spouse{{plainlist
* {{marriageMonique Merle
* {{marriageCheryl Smith
children2; Michel Roux Jr and Danielle
awardsLegion d'Honneur
Order of the British Empire
Papal knighthood (KFO)
website
::

| name = Albert Roux | honorific_suffix = | image = ChefAlbertRouxbyRichardVines.jpg | caption = Roux in 2010 | birth_date = | birth_place = Semur-en-Brionnais, France | death_date = | death_place = London, England | style = French | education = | ratings = Michelin stars (1982–1993) | restaurants = | prevrests = Le Gavroche, Mayfair, London (formerly ) Waterside Inn, Bray, Berkshire | television = | spouse = {{plainlist|

| children = 2; Michel Roux Jr and Danielle | awards = Legion d'Honneur Order of the British Empire Papal knighthood (KFO) | website =

Albert Henri Roux (8 October 1935 – 4 January 2021) was a French restaurateur and chef. He and his brother Michel operated Le Gavroche in London's Mayfair, the first restaurant in the UK to gain three Michelin stars. He helped train a series of chefs that went on to win Michelin stars, and his son, Michel Roux, Jr., continued to run Le Gavroche until January 2024.

Early life

Albert Roux was born in the village of Semur-en-Brionnais in Saône-et-Loire, France on 8 October 1935. He was the son of a charcutier. His brother, Michel Roux, was born in 1941. Upon leaving school, he initially intended to train as a priest at the age of 14. However, he decided that the role was not suited to him, sought other employment, and instead trained as a chef. His godfather worked as a chef for Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, and arranged for Roux, at the age of 18, to be employed working for Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor.

Career

In one notable incident whilst employed by the Viscountess, Roux managed to jam oeufs en cocotte in a dumbwaiter which were due to go to Harold Macmillan, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

In 1967, Roux and his younger brother Michel opened Le Gavroche, on Lower Sloane Street in London. It became the first restaurant in Britain to win a Michelin star, the first to win two, and, in 1982, the first to win three. Roux spoke highly of Gordon Ramsay: "I recognised straightaway that Gordon would go a long way."

Of all his protégés, Roux no longer got on with White, and said in an interview in 2010, "We don't talk. No, he is a truly talented man – and a man who used to call me his godfather – but he has got a chip on his shoulder".

Roux continued to run a series of restaurants around the world, through his company, founded by his wife Cheryl, Chez Roux Limited, including one at the Greywalls Hotel in Muirfield, Gullane, as well as Roux at Parliament Square and multiple Chez Roux restaurants. He no longer chased Michelin stars for his restaurants, but instead sought to "...recreate the kind of restaurant I remember from my home town, offering good and honest country cooking. The kind of place you can go to eat without ringing the bank for permission." In 2006, Albert and Michel Roux were jointly given the Lifetime Achievement Award by S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants.

Personal life

Roux had a love of fishing, and had travelled around the world to pursue his hobby, but was particularly fond of Scotland.

In 1959, aged 17, Roux married Monique, his childhood sweetheart, and they had two children, Michel Roux Jr and Danielle. The marriage was dissolved in 2001.

In 2016, Roux was divorced by his second wife, Cheryl Smith. He married his third wife, Maria Rodrigues, in January 2018, three years after meeting her. Rodrigues is a partner in a professional services firm. His son Michel Roux, Jr. ran Le Gavroche, which had two Michelin stars, until January 2024.

Roux died in London on 4 January 2021, following a long illness.

Roux was awarded an OBE in 2002 and was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur in 2005.

References

References

  1. "Biography-Awards". Chez Roux.
  2. "Albert Roux, OBE, KFO {{!}} Roux Scholarship".
  3. Walden, Celia. (3 April 2010). "Albert Roux interview: My recipe for success? Not going into the priesthood". The Daily Telegraph.
  4. (18 May 2014). "Seven ages of a chef: Albert Roux". The Guardian.
  5. "Albert & Michel Roux – 2006". The S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants.
  6. (6 January 2021). "Tributes paid to chef Albert Roux as restaurateur dies aged 85". Evening Standard.
  7. Shields, Tom. (29 March 2009). "Getting stuffed with Albert Roux". The Herald.
  8. (29 April 2015). "Roux family to run F&B at the Langham, London". The Caterer.
  9. "Albert Roux death: French chef dies aged 85". The Independent.
  10. (4 February 2016). "Roux culinary dynasty to open two new Scottish restaurants". The Daily Record.
  11. Valentine, Ian. (July 2010). "Gone fishin' with Albert Roux". GQ.
  12. "Celebrated chef Albert Roux quietly marries woman thirty years his junior in private ceremony".
  13. "Albert Roux obituary".
  14. Wells, Emma. (16 September 2007). "Heavenly oast". [[The Times]].
  15. Coventry, Laura. (8 April 2010). "Legendary French chef Albert Roux reveals his love of the Highlands as he opens new Scots restaurants". The Daily Record.
  16. Hauser, Christine. (6 January 2021). "Albert Roux, Chef Who Brought French Cuisine to London, Dies at 85". [[The New York Times]].
  17. (6 January 2021). "Albert Roux obituary".

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1935-births2021-deathsfrench-chefsfrench-emigrants-to-englandfrench-military-personnel-of-the-algerian-warfrench-restaurateurshead-chefs-of-michelin-starred-restaurantshonorary-officers-of-the-order-of-the-british-empirepeople-from-charollespeople-from-saône-et-loireroux-family