When Albert moved to London, Michel again came with him, and they arrived in 1971 to open the original Le Gavroche Restaurant in Lower Sloane Street. The address was imprinted immediately onto the gourmets and gourmands across the country and Le Gavroche became the first restaurant in Britain to gain one, two and then three Michelin stars.

By 1973 when they opened The Waterside Inn, they had another 3 restaurants in London, each a landmark in a city not then known for fine dining. Between them they have trained over 800 young chefs many of whom are now also legendary.  Since 1984 the Roux Scholarship is undoubtedly considered the ultimate British competition for chefs.  The Roux Scholar 2007 is Armand Sablon.

They were the first to sponsor young chefs into their own business, among them being Pierre Koffman at La Tante Claire and Christian Germain at Chateau de Montreuil in France. They were unique benefactors as they not only organised the backers, personally guaranteed the chef’s bank loan, but wrote in the contract that no shareholder could refuse to sell their shares back to the Chef Patron!

Michel was awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France for patisserie in 1972 and an honorary OBE alongside his brother in 2002. In a poll of UK chefs carried out by Caterer and Hotelkeeper magazine in 2003, Michel and his brother Albert were voted the most influential chefs in the country.

Today the sons run the flagships; Albert’s son, Michel Roux Jnr at Le Gavroche and Michel’s son Alain is Chef Patron of The Waterside Inn.