Michel Roux Jr. | Full Q&A | Oxford Union

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Michel Albert Roux, known as Michel Roux, Jr., is a French-English two-star Michelin chef at the London restaurant Le Gavroche.
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[@readventurekids]

This man oozes class and dignity. He's just brilliant! A real inspiration.

[@ZaydDepaor]

He certainly does, he is very likeable and sophisticated...and he puts everyone at ease no matter how clueless they are, even when he rebukes you it is very polite and constructive.

[@AaronOxfordExmouth1989]

He is one of the finest quality chef's ever. Such a humble person. You have featured 2 of my 3 most inspiring chef's. All you need to add is Raymond Blanc, and you have all 3 of my finest.

[@m.theresa1385]

Do you not enjoy listening to Jacques Pépin or are you only considering British based chefs

[@theredgiraffe]

As much as I like Michel Jr the session with Marco Pierre White was much more moving and inspiring

[@evanflorence6373]

i would certainly agree MPW was a more touching video

[@Yer_Da_]

I agree with the MPW bit but Michel Jr. is not that likeable to be honest; in late 2016, it was revealed Roux was keeping servers' tips and service charge and paid some chefs less than minimum wage.

[@tkguha6918]

The interviewer was throwing him hard balls and did not really allow him to open up and tell his life's journey as Marco did. And seriously that brat host should get his ass kicked for saying "just" 2 Michelin stars.. well he certainly is a 2 star idiot!

[@DoctorMcHerp]

It isn't really all that fair to compare the two, because Marco is a much bigger success story than Michel Jr. Michel Jr. was born to a father who became widely known throughout the country before Michel settled on becoming a chef. While he certainly worked hard to get to where he is today, you can't deny the fact that he had a lot of help from his father and his equally famous uncle, whereas Marco was born to a working-class nobody, didn't get handed anything at all, and had to build his career brick by brick in order to get to where he got. At the end of the day, they're both great figures in the industry, but the beaten down underdog-turned-champion is always going to be more of an inspiration.

[@Luke-cz9tm]

To be fair to Michel, Marco told us his life story, whereas this interviewer didn't seem to want to explore michel's background which is a huge shame.

[@gingertoffee2256]

Micheal, our step son has downs and loves cooking because of chefs like you, your lovely family and very respected friends xxx

[@ja6911]

I loved Roux's English. Super clear.

[@tofty21]

Speaking as a classically trained chef I can say Michel is a fantastic ambassador for our industry. Michel always speak with genuine integrity and empathy.

[@DAN420.]

A guy who got sued for stealing tips form service staff and paying his staff bellow minimal wage is a fantastic ambassador for our industry?

[@denman2991]

@@DAN420. anyone who's in a kitchen for money alone should get out

[@sootheholistic3064]

So great to see a chef not traumatized by their training. He has such class and dignity and total balance and he's gone just as far up the ladder as the trashy chefs that break people down

[@pastordoctormartinssempa7502]

The lad is extremely likeable. I don't know but there's a certain charme about him.

[@worldwidearmy8182]

Fascinating, thank you. A very inspiring man

[@Sgman1991]

Thoroughly enjoyable talk. It's so nice to hear the words of an actually reasonable person without a crazy agenda.

[@readventurekids]

+Sgman1991 Well said!

[@devinhalim5194]

For people who judge him for having "only" 2 stars,he said himself He love to have that accolade,but he don't think his style of food suits the requirement of 3 stars So he chosen to stay with his style rather than chasing the accolade which is nice to see

[@emmanuelsebastiao3176]

what a great interview ... and of course hes a great chef

[@dominiccrimmings6925]

Michel is a legend though - I'm a very very enthusiastic home cook and can more than hold my own in the kitchen and Michel is probably my equal favourite chef along with Raymond Blanc - they're both amazing, I couldn't split them.

[@taniaedwards9608]

I would be absolutely honored to learn under this man, I think he's an amazing Chef, and his food would be impeccable. #MichelRouxFan

[@jeremyhaines4481]

This Guy is a Excellent brilliant chef and person 👌 He comes across as a lovely Gentleman

[@carolking6355]

Thank you. I love butter and cheese. I am 80. When my 2 children were young the first MacDonalds opened not far from us. We took them for a table and Big Mac so it was no mystery. None of us went again. I was a good cook but they never had bottled drinks. A glass of milk after school and early dinner. Hot days an ice cream. My husband suffered. Bought lunches etc and a heart attack. 8 years ago I became gluten intolerant. A real curse. I did like nice bread ! I believe the wheat in France does not have that problem. We are in New Zealand.

[@TheBenzooh]

The Roux family are such an inspiration. They're amazing. Sorry for bad grammar. (If I got it wrong :p)

[@user-lm9oq6yw6n]

No problert. U will lern someday hillbilly

[@jameswright1879]

That guy from the inbetweeners interviewing is a nice touch

[@dominiccrimmings6925]

ROFL That's exactly what I thought: "WTF is Will from Inbetweeners doing there?" Him and Michel are obviously "food friends" LOL

[@drewdrewski6278]

Bin-boy givin' it to the biggen's?

[@z.a.y.n-5053]

Lol that's someone else

[@johnbattersby8639]

Just seems like such a good person.

[@kylesmith3555]

"we went to a Michelin star restaurant on holiday and I left feeling oppressed" lol.

[@kw22wombts96]

My name is Kyle too

[@kw22wombts96]

Oh and one of my last names is Sweet lol, Marco Pierre White is Better

[@w.a.9655]

Always remained a true Gentleman 🙏🏻

[@MrBeatboxmasta]

He left Masterchef because he was exposed for breaking multiple labour laws at Le Gavroche. He paid less than minimum wage to his workers, did not pay them overtime even though they work over 60 hours a week and don't allow sufficient amounts of breaks to his staff. That left him open to multiple fines from the government. He disappeared from TV until the heat subsided.

[@newsoftheworld2385]

He actually left Masterchef because the BBC insisted he stopped endorsing Red Rooster brand potatoes and Michel Roux Jr refused. As he says in this interview and here: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/11/michel-roux-leaving-bbc-masterchef-potato

[@pinkysuspegasus]

Those are some serious accusations, mind sharing the source of this information?

[@BaronVonSparklefarts]

Give me 3 hots and a cot and Ill work for Roux for a year. Pay me shit wages and work me like a dog. Working at Le Gavroche is a ticket to a culinary world most chefs could only dream of. Every single person who has worked under these guys have a ridiculously successful brand. Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay, Mark Sargeant, Marcus Wareing, the list goes on. Wareing even said that his own place was opened without him having to personally invest a dollar because of the support he got from the Roux family and the others who came before him. You see inequity? I see a massive opportunity for anyone with the talent and passion to seize it.

[@pandjiaryopoerwono3789]

@@BaronVonSparklefarts probably, thats a common problem in a culinary and catering world, the case appeared to the mass media just as Michel Jr being more famous than other restaurateurs.

[@mary.a8551]

MrBeatboxmasta that’s disgraceful! Never knew that

[@gingertoffee2256]

Michel Roux’s whole family are above and beyond excellence. Upmost respect

[@ArgenYargen]

Utmost*

[@davidfell5496]

A person worthy of great respect

[@RavaRiley]

Top chef and top bloke

[@jimjones3605]

"I love this guy" is a common theme in the comments. Why? Because chefs are there to serve. Good servers are good people who strive to make people happy. They may have an ego, or a temper, or most likely both, but at the end of the day, they are there to make people happy. You don't reach any status in this world without making people happy.

[@JohnMacDonald1]

An absolute legend

[@JohnMacDonald1]

+Adam Adams I'm a Christian. What the hell are you going on about Muslims for? If it's about my profile image, it's in response to the Jew's wrongful occupation of Palestine but I can assure you I'm no Muslim.

[@JohnMacDonald1]

+bloom4mee what's interesting?

[@llcooljaz1097]

Nothing like a good fast descent into racial bigotry on KZbin... how passé

[@milne1985]

Adam Adams oh 😂😂😂😂

[@jonh6503]

Great interview

[@salvation551]

i dnt knw but i really respect him as a person...unlike gordan ramsay...michel roux is just on another level....huge respect

[@laurentbessac2687]

Fantastic Michel Roux !

[@kewell400]

He is very good.

[@RebeccaBourhill01]

50:09 love what he's saying about bread...Great interview

[@canadianformal7564]

Glad to see a stand up proper french chef with a British sensibility.

[@slothfromthegoonies8201]

The nice guy of the food industry.

[@Danny-is5if]

You still think that?

[@slothfromthegoonies8201]

Danny Moe No.

[@toxendon]

Sloth from The Goonies That would be Raymon Blanc

[@handle.2558]

Very wise words.. :)

[@Nero-ox5tw]

Glad they brought back Will from the Inbetweeners for this video

[@richieh2006]

I love Michel. Such a lovely man. "Only two stars?" Haha!!!

[@kingfisherphil]

wise man and respected in and out of hs trade.

[@melanievanvuuren7012]

Whe love our Chefs life.

[@seblee2664]

He’s a good man, you can’t dislike him…

[@jfikri1]

He's a good Chef & a good man.

[@kazijamisima]

Box fox may I ask, do you know the man personally.? I have a feeling that he is not what he presents that he is but it may just be my wrong judgment.

[@suzannebaily5293]

@@kazijamisima I have worked with him for over 10 years, and I can tell you he is a lovely man.

[@relaxg1727]

Alot of class and dignity

[@RebeccaBourhill01]

18:48 I was going through answers from a test students had to do (they were age 11-12) they had to tick the food group that an item was placed in. It was scary to see that so many kids put sugar and syrup under ' Vitamins and minerals'.

[@fongy200]

Before the store Iceland there was one called Cordoun Bleur does anyone remember those? first of the freezer food supernarkets.

[@lampardhernandezpena7026]

In November 2016, the Guardian reported that whilst Roux's restaurant made over £250,000 in profit in 2015, he was paying some of his chefs less than the minimum wage. A chef showed the Guardian journalist Robert Booth evidence that chefs typically put in over 65 hours of labour per week, only earning about £5.50 per hour. Work days began at 7am ending at 11.30pm, with only one hour break between lunch and dinner times and sometimes as little as fifteen minutes for meal times.

[@randyranderson2807]

yeah that's actually a standard procedure in the industry. put the chefs on a fixed salary, contract will say 48 hours a week 'on average' then end up working 55 at minimum with zero overtime paid, very very common unfortunately

[@viorujoiu]

Marco is a Truly Irevocabil One of The Best Chef Who Changed the Cuisine.

[@07wissal]

Viorel Rujoiu fuck you

[@aviewer6897]

@@07wissal no u

[@commodore665]

what a lovely man

[@multiversos1]

I only dream of going to a restaurant to be handed a menu without prices. Long Live Le Gavroche!🤩

[@GH-oi2jf]

All you have to do is get invited to a dinner at a restaurant by someone who is hosting it. When I hosted my groom's dinner, I had the restaurant print a subset of their menu without prices. Desktop publishing has made this very easy to do.

[@boriserjavec6470]

What a shame for this man to pay his employess below minimum wage,shame on him

[@pandjiaryopoerwono3789]

When you own one of the famous restaurant in UK and the most dreamed to be working in by many young chefs, you have the advantage.

[@TheMoonchinKing]

I paused this video at 8:03 after he stated, "It's been well documented, my rift with the BBC" went straight onto google 'michel roux jr bbc fallout' and at the top of the search results is the headline - 'Michel Roux Jr leaving BBC and MasterChef in row over potato'. LOL

[@saa82vik]

I'm a university lecturer and researcher and I have to say expected a bit more from future Oxon graduates: Uninspiring questions leading to predictable answers. Chemicals and molecular gastronomy; how one trains one's palate; how basic food pairings are at the basis of creativity in the kitchen; basics of wine food pairing; the tension between tradition and innovation in cuisine. Such missed opportunities.

[@johndeehan8078]

How many pictures of Michel Roux does this photographer need to take before he gets a decent one? The shutter noise is very off putting and I am a pro myself.

[@lordprettyflackojodye9461]

Damn they really got the CEO of WUPHF to interview him

[@_RIBOT_]

Do you have any Q&A’s posted with a woman? These journeys and insights are all valuable but I do believe it is important to hear stories from both genders as the experiences may differ..

[@ssorc2000]

Here's a Question.... Define 'Cheap Confectionary'

[@onlyashes89]

That's not a question.

[@5p1tf1r31]

No introduction?

[@louisroden6424]

Michel roux runs a restaurant called la gavroche and said at the end of the day

[@ssorc2000]

no one is that good a chef...michelin or not....I CAN COOK , just like ny other , but the difference between a Cook and a Chef is [Passion, ........Ideas, Blending and experimenting and KNOWING( Yes it sounds vey biased), but knowing what the nation and indeed , what a nation would love to eat.

[@louistracy6964]

Thw interviewer will put off most working class chefs.

[@MrBeatboxmasta]

It probably didn't cross his mind but I'm sure he does get nervous when super elite food critics like Michelin inspectors go to his restaurant.

[@schmidtzcargolbull]

MrBeatboxmasta lol, but fortunately for him they are incognito

[@ZaydDepaor]

I doubt it, the Roux family have in fact given more fame to Michelin than Michelin has given to them...Michelin would discredit themselves by relegating the Roux family restaurants, unless they went so badly downhill from a clueless descendant or something.

[@annamcuthbert3993]

I love free bread buy from Morrisons mostly

[@davekent6023]

too short

[@tomlee7073]

50:00 no good bread in england? Have you been to the states? I miss the fresh bread my baker used to make since moving to the states so badly -- not talking about the cheap shit, proper bread is what I mean

[@dutchymcdutch2553]

You understand he's talking 'in general terms'... Compare France to UK, he's right. But now of course a lot of artisanal bread makers are coming up so it's bound to only get better.

[@milne1985]

French bakeries are everywhere, it's not comparable to over here. Tbf

[@devinhalim5194]

Than us is more SH*t than England😂😂😂

[@glgdpeter]

I never thought a man like him was a chef after years of watching abusive Gordon Ramsay. I couldn't possibly guess he swears and cusses like Gordon Ramsay.

[@pinkpeony3651]

Gordon R．is a horrible....bad temper person

[@namwarmaster6918]

he abuses and underpays his staff tho… infinitely worse than cussing and swearing lol

[@bensonfang1868]

Him and Ramsay are great friends…

[@Daized2009]

Marco *tells life story* Roux *sits there & defends the catering industry*

[@JohnnyNorfolk]

BBC need to move on or go.

[@josephfarrell483]

Whats up

[@drjustinhavens5919]

Seems like a great person. Would like to have a beer with him!

[@c0784]

But would he like to do the same

[@chriswright4677]

I don’t much care for the chap at 49:59, snatching the microphone from Harrison’s hand. Not even a thank you or nod of acknowledgment. Bad form.

[@owen7185]

Why does the BBC care if he endorses food, what is the reason? Absolutely stupid

[@Almira00]

Very disappointing that the so called upper class audience didn’t have the politeness of saying hello to Michel. Only one guy had the thought of saying it… socking manners

[@sootheholistic3064]

Goodness these questions are cringe worthy when u have been a chef and wonder why the hell are they asking such superficial boring stuff

[@TheBenzooh]

ashame she instantly went to sexism. dont just think the worst right away. use logic.

[@stoneleachman9647]

Why is this not about food at all?

[@artielarengano9287]

Shut up

[@samanthalundon5650]

Zoom

[@ssorc2000]

So,..... now he's a Philosopher... hmmmmmm...I don't think so

[@ZaydDepaor]

He is clearly thoughtful, which is one the reasons he speaks much sense and doesn't talk a load of crap.

[@ssorc2000]

OMG

[@ssorc2000]

gheee whizzzzz

[@jasnaoklobdzija4260]

Gentlman.

[@ssorc2000]

pompus or what ya ya

[@flappospammo]

2 stars , marco had 3

[@tofty21]

Flappo Spammo Michelin stars are not the ultimate level of success. I’d rather eat at La Gavroche rather than The Fact Duck.

[@1deagr]

Lol I asked for a chip butty at the gavroche nd they kicked me out

[@sonalpatel6119]

Envoling

[@alexb6695]

u need to fead yr kids with proper meals and different things every time from yung age. i used to work in soft playing area and kids menu was killing me! Chicken nuggets, pizza, burgers, mac n chees. healthy thing was only carrots sticks from all menu. And after that type of food, when kids eat it all there childhood no wonder they hate healthy food. there palets not prepared for it and i do believe them when they say it tast hurrable. U need to train your palet t feel n understand taste. Also half of the parents dont even understand that 90% of fruits in 90% of supermarkets half rippen. they not ready and always need another 2-3 days to stay in room temp to get fully rippen. specially nectariens< appricots , mangoes n all other fruits which come from different countries. Supermarkets cant buy them when they properly rippen due to most of the stock will get rotten befor they can sale it. i do understand where they coming from n they need to make money, but what i dont understand why they dont let customers know!!!! that annoys me. because of that ppl thing fruits taste horrible. of cos they are when they not ready!! and because of that ppl stop buying it.

[@harolddenver6278]

The greedy maple formally move because math nomenclaturally fail mid a purple buffet. oceanic, short beech

[@davidobrien7235]

"Marco Pierre White has been very outspoken against the Michelin Guide..." has he really, or did he just say he was bored with defending his 3 star rating? Come on OU, are you tabloid journalism now!!!!

[@GH-oi2jf]

White did say more than that. He Michelin were just trying to sell tyres, which was their area of expertise.

[@roach5219]

This was a pleasant contrast after watching the instalment with Marco Pierre White. As Michel Jr says 'chefs have ego'; his is just an ego, though and not the horrendously inflated self-worth of a textbook narcissist, as in Marco's case.

[@Daized2009]

So smug.

[@sharpskilz]

pre approved questions with pr company briefed answers... no harm but its totes obvs.

[@f4ust85]

This guy is such money-grabbing rich-kid hypocrite. I find him teaching people with disabilities as a kind of tear-jerking TV indulgence typical and disgusting. Le Gavroche is only notable for two things: that the Guinness Book of Records lists it as having served the most expensive meal per head, and that some employees were being paid as little as £5.50 per hour.

[@bensonfang1868]

You do realize that record was set by a bunch of crazies who blew out thousands on cigars and drinks right?

[@MrDavey2010]

What a dull man who only came to prominence through his family connections. He was useless when trying to present Saturday Kitchen Live on TV. He was also pocketing the tips given to his staff and only paid them minimum wage. Not a nice man. I ate at his restaurant a few years ago and was mightily disappointed. Poor food & food service.

[@louistracy6964]

Horrible to go from nearly being born on a kitchen counter to being a cook. Not glamourous, just sad,

[@bensonfang1868]

How is it sad to pursue the family business?

[@jamescarr4662]

Shocking lack of charisma. Talented but somehow intensely dull.

[@craigweir4494]

I fell asleep during this, he is THEE most boring ''celeb'' chef ever .