The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
The legendary chef behind Michelin-starred Le Gavroche and The Waterside Inn, these are the titles to add to your culinary collection
French chef and restaurateur Albert Roux has died aged 85. The news was announced by the family on Wednesday 6 January in a statement that read: "The Roux family has announced the sad passing of Albert Roux, OBE, KFO, who had been unwell for a while, at the age 85 on 4January 2021.
"Albert is credited, along with his late brother Michel Roux, with starting London's culinary revolution with the opening of Le Gavroche in 1967."
Albert Roux’s son Michel Roux Jr. said: "He was a mentor for so many people in the hospitality industry, and a real inspiration to budding chefs, including me."
Born in France in 1935, Albert and his late brother Michel, who died in March 2020, moved to the UK and opened Le Gavroche, a restaurant in London’s Mayfair in 1967, which was the first in Britain to receive three Michelin stars.
The restaurant did not simply pave the way for classical French cooking in Britain, it also became a nurturing ground for many chefs who have since become household names, including Marco Pierre White, Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsay. The Roux brother’s style quickly came to define much of what fine-dining means today.
Likewise, the duo founded the esteemed Roux Scholarship in 1985, a cooking competition to help up and coming chefs in the UK, with a prize of a three month Micheline star restaurant placement. It is now run by their sons, Michel Roux Jr and Alain Roux.
As well as being awarded an OBE in 2002, Albert and his brother were awarded the lifetime achievement award at the 1995 Cateys, an award ceremony for the hospitality industry.
But, that’s not all, Albert was also a champion and founding member of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’s adopt a school programme, a charity delivering food education in schools and aims to tackle health inequality and lack of knowledge around healthy eating.
The Roux brothers collectively carved out a life-long career in food, from writing books together to TV presenting. Here we take a look back at a selection of their best cookbooks so that the Roux legacy can live on.
You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
In this book, the Roux duo turn their attention to the art of French patisserie. With practical advice, tips and hints, the culinary legends turn to pastries, sponges and dough bases used for everything from desserts and bread to the creams and flavoured sauces that complement them. Not a general cookbook, this is a culinary bible for even the most modest of cooks.
Take a guided tour through France, from Brittany and Normandy in the north to the Pyrenees and Provence in the south, French Country Cooking explores the country’s ingredients and signature dishes, and the local wines that accompany them. Inspired by their mother, this is a classic collection of heritage recipes that represent French home cooking at its best. A tome to cherish and pass down through the generations.
Created on the belief that cooking is for sharing, Cooking For Two contains the recipes you need for every occasion – from light meals to suit the season to more elaborate dishes for celebrations, each recipe can be easily adapted for four or more. A tome that will help certainly help you get creative in the kitchen and liven up weeknight meals.
Following the hit of their BBC TV series, At Home With The Roux Brothers sees Albert and Michel putting aside formality in favour of passing on easy to learn skills for the inexperienced, well practised and even the most adventurous of home cooks. With this, you can spend lockdown perfecting your culinary abilities and prepare to showcase them to friends, when that’s allowed.
As the title suggests, Cher Albert offers the solutions to your culinary conundrums, including “how can you tell the difference between a good champagne and a bad one?” and “how do you cut onions without crying?”, as well as Albert’s favourite recipes for all occasions. A classic go-to for every home cook and self-confessed foodie.
While not written by Albert Roux himself, this is the final book his late brother Michel published. Offering an essential guide to cooking with cheese, it contains more than 100 recipes and is split into 11 chapters. You can expect everything from inventive canapes and starters to fish and meat dishes, as well as delicious desserts. A great option, particularly if your Christmas cheeseboard is still going strong.
Want to discover more about the Roux dynasty? Read our interview with Michel Roux
