Michel Roux Jr. is many things: a TV star, a second-generation restaurateur, and purveyor of one of London's top French dining establishments, with two-Michelin stars to its name. The owner of Le Gavroche has also been a controversial figure at times, admitting in 2016 that some staff were being paid less than minimum wage, and vowing to make amends.
The well-known chef and television star as judge of Masterchef: The Professionals has since weathered the pandemic and just like many of us, he's exhausted. Having led Le Gavroche for over 30 years, the 63-year-old Roux just announced that he’s closing down the restaurant and “this decision has not been made lightly,” he wrote in a statement last week.
“I have always felt that should Le Gavroche ever close, it must be on a high. Le Gavroche continues to be fully booked, week in, week out, but I have known for a while that I must make time for a better work/life balance, so I can spend more time with my family and on my other business ventures.”
The restaurant, arguably the crown jewel of French cuisine in London, will officially shut shop in January 2024.
“Le Gavroche means so much, not just to myself and the Roux family, but to the wider Gavroche team and you, our guests, who have become our family over so many years,” Roux wrote.
It wasn't just about work-life balance for Roux, though. In an interview with The Times, the chef revealed that besides some personal reasons behind the move to close Le Gavroche, there were also economic reasons.
“Living through and coming back from the pandemic didn’t do my mental health any good,” Roux said, and there's a London-specific challenge. “I feel for any young independent restaurateur opening up now," he added. "Brexit has put a huge spanner in the works in terms of supplies, staffing and costs.”
Surging rentals and food prices have indeed hurt several hospitality businesses in Britain. In the 12 months to July, over 2,000 restaurants filed for insolvency, according to accounting firm Price Bailey, as cited by industry outlet Restaurant. Additionally, complications in hiring foreign workers arising from Brexit have resulted in a massive staff shortage, forcing many restaurants to cut operating hours, remain closed on select days of the week or shut down altogether. This void was made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic which saw lockdowns and restaurant closures for several months at a stretch.
Le Gavroche's legacy
The restaurant was first launched 56 years ago by Roux’s father and uncle, Albert Roux and Michel Roux Sr. When the celebrity chef took the helm in 1991, it was nearly a decade into three Michelin star status, the first to sniff that rarefied air in the U.K.
It ultimately had three stars from 1982 until 1993, and the younger Roux has kept it a two-star establishment ever since. Several well-known chefs, including Gordon Ramsay and Monica Galetti, “earned their stripes” working at Le Gavroche’s kitchen before setting up their own establishments, according to the restaurant’s website.
The location of the restaurant in the upscale neighborhood of Mayfair adds to its crown-jewel status. Tucked into an unassuming brick-wall exterior on Upper Brook Street, it is just steps away from Hyde Park and near several other Michelin-starred establishments, including Hakkasan and Benares.
For his part, Roux is preparing his employees—all 43 of them—for Le Gavroche's closure. A spokesperson for the restaurant told Fortune that staff members will be provided “redundancy consultations” on pursuing future opportunities.
“For those staff who do not qualify for redundancy, Michel will ensure they are properly looked after too,” the restaurant said in a statement.
Roux said the brand will continue to host pop-ups and events around the world. He also plans to continue his catering and consulting services, along with heading the food and beverage unit at The Langham, London.
“This is not the end of Le Gavroche – the restaurant may be closing, but the name will live on, as will the Roux dynasty,” he said in last week’s announcement.
