Albert Roux

Early life Albert Roux was born in the village of Semur-en-Brionnais in Saône-et-Loire, France on 8 October 1935. He was the son of a charcutier. His brother, Michel Roux, was born in 1941. Upon leaving school, he initially intended to train as a priest at the age of 14. However, he decided that the role was not suited to him, sought other employment, and instead trained as a chef. His godfather worked as a chef for Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, and arranged for Roux, at the age of 18, to be employed working for Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor.

Career In one notable incident whilst employed by the Viscountess, Roux managed to jam oeufs en cocotte in a dumbwaiter which were due to go to Harold Macmillan, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

In 1967, Roux and his younger brother Michel opened Le Gavroche, on Lower Sloane Street in London. It became the first restaurant in Britain to win a Michelin star, the first to win two, and, in 1982, the first to win three. Roux spoke highly of Gordon Ramsay: "I recognised straightaway that Gordon would go a long way."

Roux continued to run a series of restaurants around the world, through his company, founded by his wife Cheryl, Chez Roux Limited, including one at the Greywalls Hotel in Muirfield, Gullane, as well as Roux at Parliament Square and multiple Chez Roux restaurants. He no longer chased Michelin stars for his restaurants, but instead sought to "...recreate the kind of restaurant I remember from my home town, offering good and honest country cooking. The kind of place you can go to eat without ringing the bank for permission."

In 1959, aged 17, Roux married Monique, his childhood sweetheart, and they had two children, Michel Roux Jr and Danielle. The marriage was dissolved in 2001.

In 2016, Roux was divorced by his second wife, Cheryl Smith. He married his third wife, Maria Rodrigues, in January 2018, three years after meeting her. Rodrigues is a partner in a professional services firm. His son Michel Roux, Jr. ran Le Gavroche, which had two Michelin stars, until January 2024.

Roux died in London on 4 January 2021, following a long illness.

Roux was awarded an OBE in 2002 and was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur in 2005.