Albert Roux
“I’m French only in passport” Albert Roux says in his French accented English when someone asks him why he chooses to live and work in England. “It’s no secret I’m a royalist, not a republican” he tells a somewhat surprised crowd. Albert Roux, 75 years old leans on his cane and stands in the heart of the open kitchen at the Garden Court restaurant at the Sofitel Wentworth. He is cooking royalty himself (no wonder he is a royalist) and received England’s first Michelin star for his restaurant La Gavroche which he opened with his brother Michel Roux.
There are certain things that you assume would come from the mouth of a French born 3 star Michelin chef. And the talk of eschewing France for England is not one of them. Albert Roux, is refreshingly blunt. And when asked what he thinks of the culinary scene in Australia he gives a frank answer “There’s a bit of confusion” but tempers it with the reasoning that as a country we’re “a baby” and considers it full of promise.
Roux was originally supposed to come over last year but that pesky volcano trouble meant that the trip had to be postponed. He brings with him his own cuisine team and we watch as he holds up a finger and speaks intently to his chef partner Bruno Valette who nods and explains the instructions to others in order to fulfil the request.
Albert Roux and his chef partner Bruno Valette
I’m dining as a guest of Relais & Chateaux which is a hotel association with an emphasis on excellence much like the the Michelin guide is for food. Relais & Chateaux have a range of famous chefs as part of “Grand Chefs Relais” program including Heston Blumenthal, Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Australia’s Tetsuya Wakuda . And the night itself is full of surprises. The wines are not French, they’re all Australian wines from South Australia and Victoria. And the food? Many of us were expecting heavy French traditional food but it’s quite modern French indeed with some beautifully skilful sauces so glossy that they cast a reflection.
Oeuf Froid Carème: Artichoke hearts filled with smoked salmon and poached egg, sauce Marie Rose served with Knappstein Three, Clare Valley, 2009
The artichoke heart is a perfect disc of artichoke heart topped with slices of a heavily smoked salmon and a petal of it on top. On top of the salmon is a poached egg with a runny centre and the sauce Marie Rose on the side is a British sauce similar to a mayonnaise and tomato sauce. It’s a nice start, lovely and light with silky, creamy textures from the salmon, egg yolk and sauce Marie Rose.
Dos de Barramundi Poêlée à la crème de Topinambour, Endive et vinaigrette de truffe: fillet of barramundi with Jerusalem artichoke puree, endive and truffle vinaigrette served with Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris, Yarra Valley, 2010
How beautifully glossy is this sauce? The moist barramundi comes on a creamy lick of Jerusalem artichoke puree and with a rich truffle vinaigrette sauce which is intensely savoury with a tangyness to it that seasons the fish well. There are two pieces of endive to top it all off. And I’m glad we have bread because I use it to mop up every last drop of the sauce (licking the plate just won’t cut it with this crowd 
).
Fillet d’Agneau chimesè de couscous safranè, puree de pois chiche et nectar de raisin sec: loin of lamb wrapped with saffron couscous, chick pea and raisins served with Stonier Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, 2009
The kitchen doesn’t keep us waiting long between courses and our third savoury course arrives it has another glossy sauce. A beautifully tender loin of lamb is wrapped in saffron couscous which is bordered by thin wombok cabbage and on the side are plump raisins and perfectly trimmed vegetables with a demi glace style sauce. And again every little skerrick on the plate is eaten clean as the flavours meld wonderfully together.
Couer de poire rôti à la vanille, tuile aux pistaches, glace cararamel demi-sel: toffee vanilla roast pear, pistachio tuile, sea salt caramel ice cream served with Henschke Muscat of Tappa Pass, Eden Valley, 2008
Our dessert is melting quickly so I need to take photographs swiftly. It’s a vanilla pear puree with a vanilla roasted pear topped with a thin pistachio tuile and a scoop of sea salt caramel ice cream. Even though our meals haven’t been that large they have been quite rich so I can’t finish this off try as I might. The sea salt caramel ice cream is also quite on the salty side of the sweet salty equation but the crunchy pistachio tuile is excellent.
After dinner service is completed Albert comes out from the kitchen and takes questions from the eager audience. When asked which Asian cuisines he likes he answers that he likes Chinese and Japanese but he isn’t fond of Indian food. “I don’t like curries. I don’t like cilantro” he says. As a keen fisherman, a diner asks him if he ever makes sashimi with the fish he has caught but he says that his knife isn’t sharp enough but considers sushi and sashimi making an art. He makes the rounds and takes a seat at some of the tables. Next an eager star-struck restaurateur comes over to him and leads him towards his table which he sits down at and answers the many questions that are asked of him.
Petit fours
During this time the petit four and coffee and tea service arrives. The petit fours are a mix of tangy pate de fruits, coconut macaroons, chocolate macarons and chocolate truffles. Just the thing to end the night with.
“I don’t want to flatter you but you (Australians) are extremely nice. You’re a very interesting nation” he ends off on a sweet note.
So tell me Dear Reader, if you could have any overseas chef cook for you, who would it be?
The generous goodie bags for all guests: YSL perfume, 1kg bag of Vittoria coffee, Torralta Prosecco and a notepad
NQN dined as a guest of Relais & Chateaux
Albert Roux at the Sofitel Wentworth
Seats are $169 each and include matching wines and a four course meal
61-101 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9230 0700
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46 Comments | Add your own
Oh! Great pictures…so many nice treats…I specially love the petit fours…glad that you shared. Have a great week Lorraine
God, I wish I could have been there and eaten all that! I’m not sure I agree that our cuisine is “confused” as much as it is “varied” given all the wonderful nationalities contributing to our culinary landscape.
As for the overseas chef I’d pick, I’ve already been lucky enough to taste Thomas Keller and Daniel Boloud’s marvellous food, so I’d have to pick Ferran Adria.
I started my blog couple of weeks ago and have been following your blog for a week now. How in the world do you write such detailed and informative posts with such beautiful pictures so quickly?? You seem to churn them faster than I can read them! This man has amazing dedication in a profession that requires such delicate manual skills.
Oh my you are so so so lucky. Funny he doesn’t like coriander!
I would love Michel Roux Jnr to cook for me, but then I could list endless chefs really….heston…..
The dessert and the first dish look similar!
How delightful!
Aside from Albert, of course, I would love to have Jamie Oliver cook for me! I really love his food philosophy!!!
The meal looks delightful; and doesn’t the chef have really bulging eyes? Must be a French trait. LOL
Same choice as you……….but I went for lunch. Another excellent meal of mousseline of moreton bay bug, meltingly tender veal and a ravioli of tropical fruits. Mmmmmmm.
Oh no! I plan to go here for my birthday, but now you have written about it I better book before it is booked out! Hahaha!. I have had a lovely meal here in the past, which is why I plan to go here again.
p.s gotta love a goodie bag!
goodness what a goodie bag!
Wow, he looks really tense in a funny kinda way.
I’m well and truly down memory lane! I was so very fortunate to have been in London when the Roux Bros opened ‘La Gavroche’! Have eaten there a number of times – the food was sublime. Have also met a very much younger Roux brother – don’t remember which! What a gorgeous teddy-bear of a man he now looks – and both of us sport a cane!! Don’t know enough about the current ‘fine food’ scene to comment, but for older traveller bloggers, my fave restaurants aways back were ‘Lasserre’ in Paris and ‘Moulin de Mougins’ in the hinterland of Cannes. Thanks for the memories, Lorraine and hope you do really and deservedly well in the voting!
I used to work near an Albert Roux restaurant in London and would hover around in enviously during many a lunch hour. Never actually ate there though. Even though she’s not thought of as a chef on the scale of Albert Roux, I’d love to have Nigella Lawson come to my home and cook for me. Because I am sure she would be so much fun, and I could be as greedy as I liked. (Not licking the plate? Heresy!)
I too am surprised to learn Albert proclaims himself loyal to the English Monarchy while side lining his French origins.I wonder what Michel would say!!
I know what you mean about their sauces-they are exquisite!!They(the roux brothers) would have to be the fathers of all sauces,they add another “class” to the dish.
It was also good to see a female chef part of his accompanying kitchen team!
Another great entry Lorraine!
I’d choose Rasmus Møller Nielsen of SALT Bar-Restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark to cook for me – wonderful fresh Scandinavian ingredients, good combinations, etc without being fussy/pretentious or like eating in a chemistry lab
Albert Roux looks like a wonderful character Lorraine! I think I would love to have James Martin cook for me. My mom and a spent many an evening watching him on the cooking channel. Plus he makes the best desserts! x
hahaha Albert’s expressions are priceless!! I’m serious Lorraine, you’re around the prettiest foods in the whole world always! I wanna tag along
Hehe..He looks just like a chubbier version of his brother! I got to taste Michel Roux’s food and it was absolutely fantastic! Albert’s food looks just as refined and delicious.
You got that close to Albert Roux!!
*is jealous*
I wish I could go back in time to when he was at the helm of a 3 michelin starred La Gavroche, and Marco Pierre White was his kitchen wench. ^__^
I’d love to have Ryan Miller, chef de cuisine, Momofuku Ssäm Bar in NYC as my chef – delicious, funky Asian-inspired food with a twist
OK – bear with me, Lorraine!
Are any of you bloggers going to Europe/living there this N summer? Have just done my ‘homework’ (at the cost of . . ., but!)
Should you be going to Paris and have a few bob in your pocket: Lasserre is still well and truly going! Look it up! My second Paris choice: ‘Taillevent’ is supposedly greater than ever under Michael Del Burgo (can tell you, would give anything . . .). The ‘Moulin’ was started by Roger Verge! (was too young to appreciate the chefs!). Now supposedly better than ever under Jean-Claude Vrinat (yep, my choice for a meal I truly would like to have! Sitting under the trees with a Dubonnet in my hand!) So, use the Net! Have fun and learn!
Oh, locally, sleepyhead forgot to say that I would be delighted to be surprised by Tetsuya Wakada!
A fun post! And a very nice goodie bag. I would love for Heston Blumenthal to surprise me with one of his feasts.
That guy has the BEST FACE IN THE WORLD I WANT TO MARRY IT. The face, that is.
Wow, creepytown.
Actually, I want to marry that dessert. So very many favourite flavours!
I haven’t really had the chance to eat much French, so my knowledge in French cuisine is almost zero
. The foods looks lovely though, especially the lamb with couscous!
Wonderful photos – he’s got the same expressions as Fernandel.
He obviously has not lost his touch as a great chef – magnifique!
Oh my that food looks good. He sounds really interesting as well.
Albert has crazy eyes… haha. But he looks so cute! and obviously makes amazing food
How cute is that chef!!!!
What an exciting evening. I just love jerusalem artichokes so I don’t know if I could have refrained from licking my plate- elegantly of course though!
I wouldn’t mind a meal from Hugh F-W from River Cottage, I enjoy watching his shows, or one of the Japanese Iron Chefs, I love each one of them!
He sounds like an interesting chef!
Rene Redzepi, his restaurant Noma has been voted the best in the world for the second year running!
The pics of chef Roux are fabulous!! What a character. Looks like a blast Nigella
I imagine the Roux family must have amazing meals when they get together! The artichoke and smoked salmon dish looks incredible. I’ve been reading Made in Italy lately, so if I could have any chef cook for me, right now I’d like that to be Giorgio Locatelli.
Wow! I’m a big fan of the Brasserie Roux at Sofitel here in London, so lovely to read this!
Wow an Albert Roux dinner – sounds amazing. I love his frank view of Australian cuisine as well – so French!
Albert Roux seems like such a character! What beautiful food…lovely. I don’t know who I would pick. I need to do more research! But I’d love Jamie Oliver, just coz he’s so spunky
Heidi xo
What an amazing treat!! The menu and presentation was exquisite!
Beautiful!!
Looks like a beautiful, elegant dinner! Love the sound of lamb wrapped with saffron couscous!
If I could choose any chef it would be Jamie Oliver – something straight out of his garden, sitting around the wooden table, with a feast of fresh produce and bold, warming flavours. I love Jamie
I absolutely love Albert Roux! And I am also really interested in attending the Tutankhamun themed High Tea at the Sofitel in Melbourne. I can not wait to try the Egyptian style treats!
You get to see and watch and listen to so many amazing chefs! I think I would love M. Roux! Every French chef I have ever met and listened to has been so funny,full of not only chefly passion but fun as well. Gorgeous meal!
It would have to be Michael Caines…. as long as I could watch of course….
You must have been distraught not to be able to finish that amazing pear creation!!
If I could choose any one chef to cook for me it’d have to be Heston.
Divine food and a goodie bag? You really do have the best job
I think i’d love to have Gordon Ramsey, he’d be entertaining
How can a chef not like curries and coriander?? The food looks amazing though.
What a great opening picture to your post of Albert!
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