What Le Gavroche served at its 50th birthday lunch

Highlights

Monday 27 March may not have been a good day to eat out in Britain as many of the nation's top chefs gathered to celebrate 50 years of Roux family restaurant Le Gavroche.

Many of the chefs at the lunch to celebrate Le Gavroche 50th started their careers with the Roux family.

Michel Roux Jr paid tribute to his father Albert and uncle Michel who started the restaurant in Lower Sloane Street in 1967 whilst thanking his staff present and past. Among the guests at the celebratory lunch were Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti, Sat Bains, Rowley Leigh along with writers Jay Rayner and Tom Parker Bowles with suppliers and other friends.

Albert Roux OBE (front) and team in 1967, and again in 2017, this time with Michel Roux Jr (behind, left).

In its 50 years, Le Gavroche has arguably witnessed, and taken part in, a revolution in British food culture. It also out-lived the UK’s membership of the European Union, or at least seems likely to, given the government’s Article 50 declaration this week.

The restaurant trade is worried about Brexit, but this was not a day for such things.

Le Gavroche 50th food and wine menu

Guests were treated to a menu of cockle and skrei cod stomach risotto served with Le Soula Blanc 2011, noix de ris de veau with a Côte-Rôtie “les Jumelles” 1967 from Paul Jaboulet Aine, slow cooked shoulder of Herwick lamb with potato skins and wild garlic condiment (the Herwick lamb supplier had travelled down from the Lake district to be present) with Château Lilian Ladouys 2010 and Gavroche Dark 71% Chocolate Mousse, oranged Balvenie Caribbean cask whisky jelly and shortbread with Vieux Rivesaltes 1989, Domaine Gerard Bertrand.

Michel Roux Jr told the guests ‘you are family’, a view reinforced by the non-stop reminiscing and anecdotes that the guests shared or their memories of 50 years of classic Roux hospitality.

Editing by Chris Mercer. Updated 31/03: Michel Roux Jr’s father is Albert Roux (OBE).