A taste of life at La Gavroche


Can you imagine what it would be like to be let loose in the kitchen of La Gavroche, the exclusive Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant where Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White learned their trade under the watchful eyes of the Roux brothers?

Worse, how would you fare if you had little aptitude for cooking in the first place? And even less grasp of French?

Well, Gerry McLaughlin, presenter of the Manchester-based Channel M food show Cookin’ Impossible found out.

Here’s an excerpt from his Manchester Evening News write-up on the subject:

You know you’re working in a top restaurant when instead of peeling spuds, you’re scrubbing a bucketful of truffles worth six grand. Under the guidance of sous chefs Adam and Rachel, I got pretty darn good at scrubbing those truffles.

The kitchen was not what television reality shows have led me to believe. No frantic rushing and shouting, just clearly relayed orders from chef Roux as the lunchtime orders came flying in at the pass.

[…]

Despite being a truly top class restaurant, the atmosphere, both front and back of house, is incredibly relaxed.

This, I suspect, is due to the stewardship and exceedingly sociable nature of Michel Roux (I’m pretty sure he chatted to every table by the end of service). Read the full article here…