Michel Roux Jr has announced he is closing his renowned two-Michelin star London restaurant Le Gavroche.
The Mayfair institution will close its doors in January so the chef can step back from the daily stress of running one of the capital’s best-known restaurants.
In a statement posted on its website, Roux said: “This decision has not been made lightly. 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.
“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.”
Roux, a judge on Masterchef: The Professionals, said the restaurant would be hosting a series of celebratory dinners from November until its closure, with family members and “familiar faces” scheduled to attend. A number of celebrity chefs launched their careers at Le Gavroche, including Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Marcus Wareing.
Le Gavroche’s staff will go through redundancy consultations over the next few weeks, according to The Caterer, which reported that the restaurant had said those who did not qualify for redundancy would still be supported financially.
Le Gavroche, which translates as The Urchin, opened in Sloane Square in 1967, a time before London was known for a sophisticated culinary scene.
It was started by the pioneering brothers Albert Roux, the father of the current owner, and Michael Roux Sr, who were among the first restaurateurs to bring classic French cuisine to the capital.
Critics rated the restaurant highly and it became a trailblazer for London gastronomy. It was one of the first UK restaurants to win a Michelin star, in 1974, then in 1977 it became one of four to win a second. It was also the first restaurant in Britain to obtain three stars, in 1982, after it moved to its current location at Upper Brook Street in Mayfair.
Roux Jr took over Le Gavroche in 1991, and the restaurant has since maintained two Michelin stars and ranked regularly in the list of the world’s top 50 restaurants.
In his statement, Roux Jr said the restaurant’s closure did not mean the end of the Le Gavroche brand: “The name will live on, as will the Roux dynasty. There will be Le Gavroche pop-ups and events in the future, both at home and abroad.”
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