Merton College is sad to hear of the passing of world-renowned French chef and restaurateur Albert Roux OBE. Roux was Honorary Patron to the College's Hospitality and Catering Academy, giving time, support and work experience opportunities to many of our students.
The legendary chef, alongside his late brother Michel Roux, is credited with launching London's culinary revolution with the opening of restaurant Le Gavroche in 1967.
In 2015, Roux treated our budding chefs to a cooking masterclass, spending an afternoon at the Academy's kitchens helping the students’ food to have the wow factor and giving them advice on how to improve their techniques. At the time, Roux said: “I was certainly impressed with the students’ work and the imagination that went into the courses. Quite honestly, that food could have been served in many restaurants throughout the UK and France.”
Steve Cannell, Head of Merton's Hospitality & Catering Academy, said: "Mr Roux was very kind to visit our students in person at the Hospitality & Catering Academy, Merton College in 2015. Despite his many other commitments, Mr Roux kindly accepted the Honorary Chef Patron Award.
Over the following years he provided inspiration, support, guidance, work experience and employment opportunities through his connections with Compass Group and more directly through his many culinary interests and restaurants, for which we remain forever grateful and extremely humbled. We share our condolences with the Roux family and think of them in their time of loss."
