by ALEXANDER RON, Digital Editor, Condé Nast Johansens
While dishing up culinary extravagance at Wimbledon, Michel Roux Jr carved out time for a one-on-one with Condé Nast Johansens. The iconic Michelin-starred British chef and restaurateur, Roux is the mastermind behind the exquisite cuisine at our recommended hotel, Crossbasket Castle, home to the Trocadero’s restaurant. We explore the culinary influences that have shaped his celebrated career, his insights on building a unique culinary identity and how global cuisines, cultures and travel continue to inspire his cooking style.
© Crossbasket Castle
What inspired you to become a chef and how did your culinary journey begin?
Well, I was almost born in a kitchen! So for me, it was simply a natural progression. I can’t think of doing anything else in my life other than being a chef or working somewhere within the hospitality industry. Obviously, my father and uncle were chefs and my grandmother was in the food industry as well. So, in terms of inspiration, I suppose you don’t need to look any further than family ties. Some of my first food memories are from when I was very young, about five or six, being in the kitchen with Dad, tasting incredible food and watching my uncle prepare beautiful patisserie. Those are my earliest food memories. But I formally began my journey at 16 when I went off to be an apprentice. I started with a pastry apprenticeship for two years before moving into the main kitchen. That was the beginning of my career.
What’s your signature dish and what makes it so special or personal to you?
I would say the dish that became our signature over the years was the cheese soufflé. It’s a dish my father and uncle put on the menu back in the late 1960s and we simply couldn’t take it off. I’ve tweaked it slightly over the years, made it a little lighter. We’ve sold over a million cheese soufflés during the lifetime of Le Gavroche. That’s a lot of cheese and eggs, isn’t it!
© Crossbasket Castle
What have been the biggest challenges in building your culinary identity and restaurant vision?
When I took over from my father in the late 1980s, I had a vision to lighten the food and put my own stamp on the menu. But it’s a bit like turning a tanker ship, you can’t just stop or turn it around instantly. It takes time. And that’s exactly what happened at Le Gavroche. Slowly but surely, I began to tweak and change the menu. It wasn’t a wholesale change, as I was brought up on classic French cuisine but I started introducing lighter dishes and different cooking techniques. It took a few years to truly instil my vision but my cooking style is firmly rooted in classic French technique.
How do you incorporate sustainability and seasonality into your menus and kitchen practices?
It should be a given for any restaurant. Seasonality is so important and as chefs, we bang on about it but it’s true! It still annoys me when I see asparagus on menus at Christmas. I think, “my God, this just isn’t right!” When you see something like asparagus on a December menu, it’s usually been flown in from the other side of the world, which isn’t sustainable, isn’t green and simply isn’t right. Eating locally and seasonally is better not only for the environment but for your health as well.
© Crossbasket Castle
Which world cuisines, cultures or travel experiences have most influenced your cooking style?
I worked in Hong Kong in the mid-80s and absolutely adored it. I always recommend to young chefs that they should travel when they’re young, as it really opens your horizons. It certainly did for me, seeing new ingredients I’d never encountered before, discovering different cooking methods and experiencing completely new flavours. Hong Kong was definitely a big influence on me.
How do you define modern luxury in fine dining and how do you bring that to life for your guests?
Modern luxury doesn’t necessarily mean expensive ingredients. You don’t need caviar and truffles on every course. Quite the opposite, actually; using the best local and seasonal ingredients and showcasing them simply, without too many additions or fuss, is a luxury in itself.
What’s a behind the scenes kitchen ritual or routine that most people don’t know about?
All chefs working on the pass will have their own style and mannerisms but something many people don’t realise is that most chefs have marker pens and pencils of different colours to tick off courses and tables. It’s not something you’d automatically associate with chefs but we do have our own sets of pens and pencils lined up, ready to go.
© Crossbasket Castle
What advice would you give to young chefs entering today’s fast paced culinary world?
Stick at it. It’s a job you’ve got to love because it’s not just a job, it’s a career. It can have its highs and lows, and yes, it can be tough at times. You’ll often be working on Saturdays and Sundays when your friends are out enjoying themselves but there’s a wonderful camaraderie in this industry and there’s an immense feeling of satisfaction in what we do. I can’t think of many other jobs where your craft can bring people so much happiness, whether you’re cooking a beautiful steak or making the best bacon sandwich. Seeing someone truly enjoy what you’ve cooked is incredibly rewarding. Food brings people together and once people sit down to share a meal, the conversation flows. That’s the beauty of what we do.
If you could cook for anyone – past or present – who would it be and what would you serve?
I’ve cooked for a lot of high-profile people over the years: royalty, dignitaries, superstars, you name it but one person I haven’t cooked for and would love to, is Eric Cantona. I’m a Manchester United fan and I think I’d have a good time with Eric. He enjoys good food and wine and perhaps I’d invite Sir Alex Ferguson along too, so we could all enjoy a wonderful evening together.
How do you stay creative and continually evolve your food while maintaining consistency?
Creativity isn’t something you can just switch on and off. Sometimes inspiration will come from something as simple as visiting a market or from travelling and a dish idea might strike at any moment but I don’t believe chefs should feel pressured to be constantly creative. Tried-and-tested dishes are just as valuable as creating something new and there’s a lot to be said for consistency in a restaurant.
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- Crossbasket Castle
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- The Trocadero Restaurant
condenastjohansens/crossbasketcastle
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