Le Gavroche

Last updated

Le Gavroche
Le Gavroche logo.png
Le Gavroche 2008 06 19.jpg
Le Gavroche
Restaurant information
Established1967
Closed13 January 2024
Owner(s) Michel Roux Jr.
Head chef Rachel Humphrey
Food type French cuisine
Dress codeSmart
Rating Etoile Michelin-2.svg (Michelin Guide)
Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg AA Rosettes
Street address Upper Brook Street
CityLondon
Postal/ZIP CodeW1K 7QR
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates 51°30′39″N0°9′18″W / 51.51083°N 0.15500°W / 51.51083; -0.15500
Website Official website

Le Gavroche (The Urchin) was a restaurant at 43 Upper Brook Street in Mayfair, London. It was opened in 1967 by Michel and Albert Roux at 61 Lower Sloane Street, its premises until 1981. Albert's son Michel Roux Jr was the chef patron from 1991 until its closure in 2024. It was the first restaurant in the UK to be awarded three Michelin stars, which it held from 1982 to 1993.

Contents

The restaurant offered classical French food, although some dishes were more modern. Notable dishes included the Soufflé Suissesse (cheese soufflé baked on double cream); Le Caneton Gavroche (whole poached duck in a light consommé served with three sauces for two); and Omelette Rothschild. [1] Its name came from the character Gavroche in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables . [2] [3]

In August 2023, Michel Roux Jr. announced that the restaurant would close at the end of its current lease in January 2024, after over 56 years of business. [4] The restaurant's final day of trading was on 13 January 2024.

Overview

Chefs who worked in the kitchen of Le Gavroche included Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing, Pierre Koffmann, Bryn Williams, Michael Smith, Konstantin Filippou and Monica Galetti. [5]

Albert's son Michel Roux Jr was the chef patron having taken over the running of the kitchen in 1991. Under his stewardship, Le Gavroche was consistently placed in Restaurant's Top 50. The Executive Chef was Rachel Humphrey and the Head Chef was Gaetano Farucci. [6]

Le Gavroche was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having served the most expensive meal per head when three diners spent $20,945 on one meal (including cigars, spirits, and six bottles of wine costing $19,248) in September 1997.

In 2008, Silvano Giraldin, Le Gavroche's General Manager, retired after 37 years working there. He remained as one of Le Gavroche's directors. [7]

David Coulson, runner-up in the 2010 BBC series MasterChef: The Professionals, accepted an offer of employment from Michel Roux Jr during the final stages of the show and was to start work with Le Gavroche as chef de partie in January 2011. [8]

In November 2016, it emerged that some employees were being paid as little as £5.50 per hour. This was considerably less than the 2016 legal UK minimum wage of £7.20 per hour. [9] Since then, the restaurant became committed to review and increase wages and the time for which the restaurant was closed to reduce staff working hours. [10] The restaurant was also further disadvantaging staff by treating the service charge as restaurant revenue, and not a tip, as it is commonly believed to be. [11]

In August 2023, Michel Roux Jr announced that the restaurant would close at the end of its current lease in January 2024. [12] [13] The restaurant closed on 13 January 2024.

Ratings

In 1974, Le Gavroche was the first restaurant in the UK to receive a Michelin star and was the first British restaurant to receive two Michelin stars, this in 1977 while still at Lower Sloane Street. In 1982, after a move to the larger Upper Brook Street premises, it became the first restaurant in the UK to be awarded three stars. It retained this rating until 1993 when it lost a star as the Chef Patron formally changed from Albert Roux to his son. Regarding the loss of the third star Michel Roux Jr said "Certainly I would love three stars. I believe in the system and the recognition would be wonderful. But I am not cooking that style of food. There are dishes that are worthy of it but my style really doesn't suit that status." [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Roux</span> French chef (1941–2020)

Michel Roux, OBE, also known as Michel Roux Snr., was a French chef and restaurateur working in Britain. Along with his brother Albert, he opened Le Gavroche, which subsequently became the first three Michelin starred restaurant in Britain and The Waterside Inn, which was the first restaurant outside France to hold three stars for 25 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Roux</span> French chef and restaurateur (1935–2021)

Albert Henri Roux 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alain Roux</span> British-French chef and restaurateur

Alain Roux, is a British Michelin starred chef, and chef-patron of The Waterside Inn. He is one of the members of the Roux family, and son of Michel Roux.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Waterside Inn</span> Restaurant in Berkshire, England

The Waterside Inn, in Bray, Berkshire, England, is a restaurant founded by the brothers Michel and Albert Roux after the success of Le Gavroche. It is currently run by Michel's son, Alain. The restaurant has three Michelin stars, and in 2010 it became the first restaurant outside France to retain all three stars for twenty-five years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Wareing</span> Michelin-starred chef (born 1970)

Marcus Wareing is an English celebrity chef who was Chef-Owner of the one-Michelin-starred restaurant Marcus until its permanent closure in December 2023. Since 2014, Wareing has been a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Celler de Can Roca</span> Restaurant in Spain

El Celler de Can Roca is a restaurant in Girona, Catalonia, Spain opened in 1986 by the Roca brothers, Joan, Josep and Jordi. It was first located next to their parents' restaurant Can Roca, but moved to its current purpose-built building in 2007. It has been received warmly by critics, and holds three Michelin stars. El Celler de Can Roca was ranked the best restaurant in the world by the magazine Restaurant in 2013 and 2015, and was ranked second in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michel Albert Roux</span> British-French chef and restaurateur

Michel Albert Roux also known as Michel Roux Jr., is an English-French chef. He owned the 2 Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche in London, which was opened by his father Albert Roux and uncle Michel Roux, until it closed on 13 January 2024.

Éric Chavot is a French Michelin starred chef. He was working the head chef at the Bob Bob Cité and Bob Bob Ricard restaurants in London until January 2020, as well as the consultant chef at the Royal Albert Hall's Coda restaurant. Born in Arcachon, Gironde, Chavot was trained at the Boucanier, then at the Patio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ledbury</span> Restaurant in London, England

The Ledbury is a restaurant located on Ledbury Road, Notting Hill, London, England. It held two Michelin stars from 2010 until 2021, when it lost them as it shut due to Covid-19 restrictions being impractical for the restaurant, making it ineligible for assessment by Michelin inspectors. It has also been featured in S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants. The restaurant reopened in February 2022, after being closed for almost 2 years. It regained both Michelin stars in the 2023 Michelin Guide and was promoted to three Michelin stars in the 2024 Michelin guide.

Pierre Koffmann is a French professional chef. He was one of a handful of chefs in the United Kingdom to have been awarded the coveted three Michelin stars at his restaurant La Tante Claire in London. Until December 2016, he was the head chef of Koffmann's at The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge, London.

MasterChef: The Professionals is a BBC television competitive cooking show which aired on BBC Two from 2008 to 2019, and on BBC One since 2020. It is a spin-off from the main MasterChef series, for professional working chefs. Introduced in 2008, Gregg Wallace and India Fisher reprised their roles as co-judge and voiceover respectively. Michel Roux Jr., a two-Michelin-star chef, assisted, from 2009, by his sous-chef Monica Galetti. Since 2011, Sean Pertwee has taken over Fisher's role as voiceover.

The Roux Scholarship is a cooking competition for young chefs in the UK. Set up by the brothers Michel and Albert Roux, and now run by their sons Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr. It was first run in 1984 with Andrew Fairlie being named the first winner. It has since been run on an annual basis, with winners undertaking a three-month placement in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Harveys was a restaurant in Wandsworth, London, run by chef Marco Pierre White between 1987 and 1993. Its French cuisine was warmly received by food critics, and it was named Restaurant of the Year by The Times in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monica Galetti</span> Samoan-born New Zealand chef (born 1975)

Monica Galetti is a Samoan-born New Zealand Chef. She is a judge on the BBC competitive cooking programme MasterChef: The Professionals and chef proprietor of Mere in London. She was senior sous-chef at Le Gavroche in London. As well as appearing as a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals from 2009 to 2021 and again in 2023, she has presented Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby with Giles Coren and Rob Rinder since 2017.

<i>The Chefs Protege</i> British TV series or programme

The Chef's Protege is a 2013 BBC Two television cooking series that was cancelled after one season. It was a serialized competition that followed three Michelin star chefs becoming mentors, as they return to their old catering colleges to select and train a protégé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Checkers (restaurant)</span> Restaurant in Montgomery, UK

The Checkers, is a restaurant with rooms in Montgomery, Powys, Wales. Historically, the building was used as a coaching inn dating from the 17th century. Until the 2000s, it was used as a pub/hotel. It was converted into a French restaurant in 2012 and under chef Stephane Borie, it was awarded a Michelin star later that year. There are two main rooms in the restaurant, and three hotel rooms. It has received a mixed reception from critics, who have praised particular dishes but criticised the atmosphere. It serves both modern and classic French dishes, and in 2016, switched to only using set menus. In 2018, The Checkers moved away from their Michelin star and opened a breakfast and lunch restaurant renamed Checkers Pantry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Restaurant Andrew Fairlie</span> Restaurant in Scotland

Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, also known as Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, is a restaurant serving British cuisine located within the Gleneagles Hotel near Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. In operation since 2001, it was run by chef Andrew Fairlie alongside his head chef Stephen McLaughlin who took over the kitchen after his death. It currently holds two Michelin stars, having been awarded them in 2006. It is the only restaurant in Scotland to hold two Michelin stars.

The Restaurant Marco Pierre White, also known as The Restaurant, Restaurant Marco Pierre White and later Oak Room Marco Pierre White, was a restaurant run by chef proprietor Marco Pierre White. The Restaurant was opened at the Hyde Park Hotel, London, on 14 September 1993, after White left his previous restaurant, Harveys. Following the move, the kitchen staff was more than doubled in number, and White used Pierre Koffmann's La Tante Claire as a template to pursue his third Michelin star. This was awarded in the 1995 Michelin guide. White then moved the restaurant to the Le Méridien Piccadilly Hotel, London, in 1997, taking on the listed Oak Room as the main dining room. He sought a further rating of five red forks and spoons in the guide, to gain the highest possible rating for the restaurant. It gained this award in the following guide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elystan Street</span> Restaurant in London, England

Elystan Street is a London restaurant co-owned by chef patron Phil Howard and Rebecca Mascarenhas. Howard and Mascarenhas established the restaurant on 27 September 2016, six months after Howard sold and left his previous restaurant The Square. Elystan Street earned its first Michelin star in October 2017 and has retained it since.

References

  1. "Menu Exceptionnel". Le Gavroche. Archived from the original on 4 January 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. Grimes, William (14 March 2020). "Michel Roux, 78, Dies; Helped Bring French Cuisine to London". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  3. Roux Jr, Michel (28 January 2019). "Michel Roux Jr on X". Twitter. Retrieved 21 August 2023. Yes indeed. The theme continued in the 70s with Le Gamin and Le Poulbot restaurants
  4. The Staff Canteen. "Michel Roux Jr has announced the closure of Le Gavroche" . Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  5. "Gordon Ramsay shares emotional tribute to late mentor and 'legend' Albert Roux". Insider. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  6. "The Team". Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  7. Kessler, Susan (15 January 2009). "Tracing Giraldin's Tree". Zagat.[ dead link ]
  8. "Job with Roux for top chef". Sunderland Echo. 3 November 2010.
  9. Booth, Robert (17 November 2016). "TV chef Michel Roux Jr paid kitchen staff below minimum wage". The Guardian.
  10. "Le Gavroche increases salaries for staff paid..." The Caterer. 17 November 2016.
  11. "Michel Roux to give thousands in back pay to Le Gavroche chefs". The Guardian. 19 December 2016.
  12. Davis, Barney (18 August 2023). "Michel Roux Jr announces he is closing two-Michelin star restaurant Le Gavroche". Evening Standard. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  13. The Staff Canteen. "Michel Roux Jr has announced the closure of Le Gavroche" . Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  14. "Le Gavroche at forty". The Caterer. 31 May 2007.