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Seven ages of a chef: Albert Roux Seven ages of a chef: Albert Roux
(35 minutes later)
My father was a charcutier; my grandfather and great-grandfather too. But when I left school in France at 14 my destination was the priesthood. Then I had an unfortunate encounter with a smelly old priest. So I gave up my training and I went off church for many years, but never off God. God had nothing to do with that priest. To blame God would be like blaming food rather than a bad chef or waiter.My father was a charcutier; my grandfather and great-grandfather too. But when I left school in France at 14 my destination was the priesthood. Then I had an unfortunate encounter with a smelly old priest. So I gave up my training and I went off church for many years, but never off God. God had nothing to do with that priest. To blame God would be like blaming food rather than a bad chef or waiter.
Since 15, I've always seen food as my life – I've never questioned the fact, never wanted to change profession, even on the hardest days. I started in pastry as an apprentice because I had a godfather who worked as a chef for Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, and advised me "Before you learn to cook, learn pastry". But I did not enjoy so much pastry and one Christmas, when I again took him a box of chocolates, my godfather said there was a job in England with [Viscountess] Nancy Astor. On the work visa it said "scullery boy". The first thing I had to learn, my very first task – because I arrived at Cliveden [the Astor family mansion] in the bloody shooting season – was to pluck pigeons, woodcocks and pheasants without upsetting their skin. By the hundreds. You can learn fast.Since 15, I've always seen food as my life – I've never questioned the fact, never wanted to change profession, even on the hardest days. I started in pastry as an apprentice because I had a godfather who worked as a chef for Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, and advised me "Before you learn to cook, learn pastry". But I did not enjoy so much pastry and one Christmas, when I again took him a box of chocolates, my godfather said there was a job in England with [Viscountess] Nancy Astor. On the work visa it said "scullery boy". The first thing I had to learn, my very first task – because I arrived at Cliveden [the Astor family mansion] in the bloody shooting season – was to pluck pigeons, woodcocks and pheasants without upsetting their skin. By the hundreds. You can learn fast.
It's pertinent to ask what I wish I'd known at 18, but the truth is that everything has been by mistake, or trial and error – in fact that's my motto. That's the way I've taught chefs too – to see the mistake, what the source was, what the consequences are, the details. But the problem with age is that you can lose the sense of wanting to just try. I'm not saying I never try, but you can become less adventurous. You're more careful. You can think too much before doing something.It's pertinent to ask what I wish I'd known at 18, but the truth is that everything has been by mistake, or trial and error – in fact that's my motto. That's the way I've taught chefs too – to see the mistake, what the source was, what the consequences are, the details. But the problem with age is that you can lose the sense of wanting to just try. I'm not saying I never try, but you can become less adventurous. You're more careful. You can think too much before doing something.
When I first came to this country in 1953, it was drastic here. There was still rationing, which had ended in France in 1946. Britain was a total gastronomic desert. Just Joe Lyon's and a biscuit or swiss roll wrapped up in beautiful paper. Nowadays the taxi driver discusses lobster, but back then the prerogative of eating well was for the very few.When I first came to this country in 1953, it was drastic here. There was still rationing, which had ended in France in 1946. Britain was a total gastronomic desert. Just Joe Lyon's and a biscuit or swiss roll wrapped up in beautiful paper. Nowadays the taxi driver discusses lobster, but back then the prerogative of eating well was for the very few.
Seven ages of a chef - all the interviewsGeorgina Dent, 20: 'Don't be lazy. Be prepared to give up your life'James Lowe, 34: 'I love cooking, but I love restaurants more'Anna Hansen, 44: 'Happiness is getting out by midnight'Giorgio Locatelli, 51: 'Someone can come pissed off and leave happy'Rick Stein, 67: 'I did have a determined idea of making money'Albert Roux, 78: 'I've always seen food as my life'Joyce Molyneux, 83: 'I would recommend it for women'
I cooked in several households, I worked very hard, testing, testing and watching chefs intensely, which you must do especially if he's not talkative, like the amazing chef I worked for at the French embassy. He was a genius. To test the food of a great chef is work of pleasure. When I became private chef to [retail and property magnate] Charles Clore, it was a shock, as I'd previously worked for rich people with lots of manners, but there was a lack there, especially as it was during the time of his divorce. One learns to adjust. And next I was called back to France for national service.I cooked in several households, I worked very hard, testing, testing and watching chefs intensely, which you must do especially if he's not talkative, like the amazing chef I worked for at the French embassy. He was a genius. To test the food of a great chef is work of pleasure. When I became private chef to [retail and property magnate] Charles Clore, it was a shock, as I'd previously worked for rich people with lots of manners, but there was a lack there, especially as it was during the time of his divorce. One learns to adjust. And next I was called back to France for national service.
I was next on British "territory" working in the kitchen at the British embassy in Paris. The ambassador would call me "The English Boy" because he knew I'd worked in England. One day I was called upstairs to meet an elegant lady who was looking for a young chef for a British gentleman and I became private chef to Major Peter Cazalet [trainer of the Queen Mother's racehorses] for eight years.I was next on British "territory" working in the kitchen at the British embassy in Paris. The ambassador would call me "The English Boy" because he knew I'd worked in England. One day I was called upstairs to meet an elegant lady who was looking for a young chef for a British gentleman and I became private chef to Major Peter Cazalet [trainer of the Queen Mother's racehorses] for eight years.
I think the reason for my success, apart from the food, is that I'm amiable, I like to think. I'm doing a deal at the moment in Stratford-upon-Avon with a top gentleman – millionaire, classy – and he said: "With all my friends, whenever I mention you, they're all full of praise. I've never seen anything like that before."I think the reason for my success, apart from the food, is that I'm amiable, I like to think. I'm doing a deal at the moment in Stratford-upon-Avon with a top gentleman – millionaire, classy – and he said: "With all my friends, whenever I mention you, they're all full of praise. I've never seen anything like that before."
When I opened my first restaurant with [my brother] Michel in 1967 there were people I had worked for who had invited marquesses, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, all these people, and there was all this publicity and Le Gavroche was crowded every night. After three years I bought the investors' shares back from them for three times their investment and then, the week after, I sold the stake for 30 times the amount.When I opened my first restaurant with [my brother] Michel in 1967 there were people I had worked for who had invited marquesses, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, all these people, and there was all this publicity and Le Gavroche was crowded every night. After three years I bought the investors' shares back from them for three times their investment and then, the week after, I sold the stake for 30 times the amount.
You have to move with the times and with what the people want; you have to study what they want and where the market is. As far as the food is concerned it's always a moving market and unfortunately it's become fashion. But food is not fashion. It's all to do with cooking in the bag. Which I started in my country incidentally and unfortunately, losing a couple of million quid. Bags of kippers. It's a very useful concept, but it has been abused. You get some chefs who cook scallops in a bag – it's mad. You don't cook a scallop in a bag. On the other hand if you want to make a stew, if you have a piece of meat you want to tenderise, cook it gently at 65-70° and re-warm it in a pan, and it relaxes and opens up. That's food.You have to move with the times and with what the people want; you have to study what they want and where the market is. As far as the food is concerned it's always a moving market and unfortunately it's become fashion. But food is not fashion. It's all to do with cooking in the bag. Which I started in my country incidentally and unfortunately, losing a couple of million quid. Bags of kippers. It's a very useful concept, but it has been abused. You get some chefs who cook scallops in a bag – it's mad. You don't cook a scallop in a bag. On the other hand if you want to make a stew, if you have a piece of meat you want to tenderise, cook it gently at 65-70° and re-warm it in a pan, and it relaxes and opens up. That's food.
Now, this is important to say, important to my life – I fell in love with this country. And recently I applied for a British passport and just yesterday, in fact, I became British.Now, this is important to say, important to my life – I fell in love with this country. And recently I applied for a British passport and just yesterday, in fact, I became British.
If I had to redo my life I would try to keep away more from women. It's a fact – I was born a womaniser and I adore the company of a woman, and not particularly for sex. I'd rather have dinner with a charming lady than a charming man. But sometimes it can be taken wrongly. I'm at the moment in an ugly situation of divorce which is very unpleasant, which I didn't want it to be. But there you are.If I had to redo my life I would try to keep away more from women. It's a fact – I was born a womaniser and I adore the company of a woman, and not particularly for sex. I'd rather have dinner with a charming lady than a charming man. But sometimes it can be taken wrongly. I'm at the moment in an ugly situation of divorce which is very unpleasant, which I didn't want it to be. But there you are.
The restaurants meant the family and children suffered in my first marriage. When Sunday came they had to be quiet while I slept the day. Workwise nowadays, I can't stop. It's my character. I'm not saying every day is rosy – no. But I try to find a solution to make it rosy.The restaurants meant the family and children suffered in my first marriage. When Sunday came they had to be quiet while I slept the day. Workwise nowadays, I can't stop. It's my character. I'm not saying every day is rosy – no. But I try to find a solution to make it rosy.
I wish I'd learned accountancy more, but I sent my son off to a top accountancy firm for six months in his early days and I recommend it. And I love teaching. To me that's my greatest pleasure. I love to make a donkey into a racehorse. I trained Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White, Pierre Koffmann and Marcus Wareing. I get a lot of reward from seeing people blooming. I have a 27-year-old in Scotland who I started off as an apprentice chef and I'm full of admiration for his skills and his desire to ask questions.I wish I'd learned accountancy more, but I sent my son off to a top accountancy firm for six months in his early days and I recommend it. And I love teaching. To me that's my greatest pleasure. I love to make a donkey into a racehorse. I trained Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White, Pierre Koffmann and Marcus Wareing. I get a lot of reward from seeing people blooming. I have a 27-year-old in Scotland who I started off as an apprentice chef and I'm full of admiration for his skills and his desire to ask questions.
I spend a lot of time behind a desk in Wandsworth. I'm awake at 4am and up at 5am – shower, coffee then emails, papers, also I like to read 10 to 20 pages of a history book, then I'm here early, working on projects, running restaurants around the world. Today there's Le Gavroche's chairman's lunch. After that I'm looking for a flat for myself. And later I'm out for a meal in the charming company of a 6ft 3in young woman who takes her dogs out in the morning and is a lovely young woman, very nice, very good conversation.I spend a lot of time behind a desk in Wandsworth. I'm awake at 4am and up at 5am – shower, coffee then emails, papers, also I like to read 10 to 20 pages of a history book, then I'm here early, working on projects, running restaurants around the world. Today there's Le Gavroche's chairman's lunch. After that I'm looking for a flat for myself. And later I'm out for a meal in the charming company of a 6ft 3in young woman who takes her dogs out in the morning and is a lovely young woman, very nice, very good conversation.