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Albert Roux dies aged 85: Chef behind London's legendary Le Gavroche restaurant which became the first in Britain to be awarded 3 Michelin stars has died two years after marrying new wife

Albert Roux, the chef behind London's legendary Le Gavroche restaurant which became the first in Britain to be awarded three Michelin stars has died at the age of 85, his family announced today.

Part of the Roux culinary dynasty, tributes have poured in from across the industry for the restaurateur, who died on Monday after a lengthy illness. 

The tragic news comes just two years after Roux married his third wife, Maria, 57, and months after the death of his brother, Michel Snr, who passed aged 78. 

One of his former proteges, Gordon Ramsay, today led the salutes by posting an image of the pair together on Instagram. 

He wrote: 'So so sad the hear about the passing of this legend, the man who installed Gastronomy in Britain, we've shared the same office for the last decade and walking up those stairs today is going to be really difficult, thank you Albert for everything you gave me, God Bless you Chef.'

His son, Michel Roux Jr, said: 'He was a mentor for so many people in the hospitality industry, and a real inspiration to budding chefs, including me.'

Chef James Martin also paid tribute to Roux saying: 'Such a sad start to the year... Albert Roux was a true titan of the food scene in this country and inspired and trained some of the best and biggest names in the business.

'RIP and today I will open a bottle of the finest red and raise a glass... in fact the bottle to you and your brother and say thank you for everything. My thoughts to all the Roux family and friends.' 

A statement from The Michelin Guide on Twitter said: 'Albert Roux OBE, along with his late brother Michel, was a father of the UK restaurant industry and his legacy will live on through the many chefs who passed through his kitchen.

'All of us at the Michelin Guide send our heartfelt condolences to the Roux family.'

Albert Roux (left) has died today. He is pictured with his son, Michel Roux Jnr (centre), and Michel's daughter, Emily, at a restaurant opening in Scotland in 2016

Albert Roux has died today. He is pictured with his son, Michel Roux Jnr , and Michel's daughter, Emily, at a restaurant opening in Scotland in 2016

The tragic news comes just two years after Roux married his third wife, Maria (they are pictured together in 2019 before a gala at the Savoy Hotel)

The tragic news comes just two years after Roux married his third wife, Maria (they are pictured together in 2019 before a gala at the Savoy Hotel) 

Albert (left) and Michel Roux after they were awarded honourary OBE's by the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in October 2002

Albert and Michel Roux after they were awarded honourary OBE's by the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in October 2002

Albert Roux and Peter Capaldi pose with their cutlery at the chef's restaurant in Inverness, Scotland back in April 2009

Albert Roux and Peter Capaldi pose with their cutlery at the chef's restaurant in Inverness, Scotland back in April 2009

Roux, pictured giving a cooking exhibition to schoolchildren in Inverness, 'left a massive mark on the food story of his adopted country'

Roux, pictured giving a cooking exhibition to schoolchildren in Inverness, 'left a massive mark on the food story of his adopted country'

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'The man who installed Gastronomy in Britain': Fellow chefs pay tribute 

Tributes have poured in from across the industry for the restaurateur, who died on Monday after a lengthy illness. 

Roux revolutionised London's dining scene when his restaurant, Le Gavroche, was the first in the UK to gain three Michelin stars. 

One of his former proteges, Gordon Ramsay, today led the salutes by posting an image of the pair together on Instagram. 

He wrote: 'So so sad the hear about the passing of this legend, the man who installed Gastronomy in Britain, we've shared the same office for the last decade and walking up those stairs today is going to be really difficult, thank you Albert for everything you gave me, God Bless you Chef.' 

Chef James Martin also paid tribute to Roux saying: 'Such a sad start to the year... Albert Roux was a true titan of the food scene in this country and inspired and trained some of the best and biggest names in the business.

'RIP and today I will open a bottle of the finest red and raise a glass... in fact the bottle to you and your brother and say thank you for everything. My thoughts to all the Roux family and friends.' 

Tom Kitchin also had fond words for the chef, describing him as 'one of the true culinary greats'.

He added: 'My thoughts are with the Roux family and the army of chefs you've influenced over the years.. You will be missed but never forgotten.. RIP #AlbertRoux'

A statement from The Michelin Guide on Twitter said: 'Albert Roux OBE, along with his late brother Michel, was a father of the UK restaurant industry and his legacy will live on through the many chefs who passed through his kitchen.

'All of us at the Michelin Guide send our heartfelt condolences to the Roux family.'

Alongside his brother Michel, Roux founded Le Gavroche in London in 1967, followed by The Waterside Inn in Bray in 1972.

Le Gavroche was the first restaurant in the UK to gain three Michelin stars. 

Food critic Jay Rayner tweeted: 'Albert Roux was an extraordinary man, who left a massive mark on the food story of his adopted country.

'The roll call of chefs who went through the kitchens of Le Gavroche alone, is a significant slab of a part of modern UK restaurant culture. RIP.' 

Piers Morgan wrote: 'RIP Albert Roux, 85, just 9 months after the death of his brother Michel. Two culinary titans who revolutionised the UK restaurant scene & mentored so many more great chefs.

'Both wonderful characters, touched by genius, who brought pleasure to many palates. Thank you.' 

Mr Roux's brother, Michel Roux Snr, died aged 79 in March after a long battle with ill health. 

The brothers' Waterside Inn was awarded one star in 1974, then two in 1977 and three in 1985.

It is the only restaurant in the world outside France to have retained three stars ever since and Roux's son Alain has been chef patron since 2001. 

A statement from his family said: 'The Roux family has announced the sad passing of Albert Roux, OBE, KFO, who had been unwell for a while, at the age 85 on 4th January 2021.

'Albert is credited, along with his late brother Michel Roux, with starting London's culinary revolution with the opening of Le Gavroche in 1967. The Roux family have requested that their privacy at this time be respected.' 

Alongside his younger brother Michel, Roux founded Le Gavroche in London in 1967, followed by The Waterside Inn in Bray in 1972.

Le Gavroche, known for its classic take on French cuisine, was the first restaurant in the UK to gain one, then two, and then three Michelin stars.

Albert's death comes nine months after that of his brother, aged 78, following a long battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Born in the region of Saone et Loire in France on October 8 1935, Roux began training as an apprentice patissier aged 14 before taking up a number of kitchen posts.

After serving in the military in Algeria, Roux worked as sous chef at the British Embassy in Paris, where he spent two years before leaving for the UK.

In April 1967, Albert and Michel opened Le Gavroche in Chelsea with only £3,000, borrowing the rest of the funds.

He was also known for the Roux Scholarship, an annual chef competition founded in 1982 with Michel, to enable a new generation of chefs in the UK to train in some of the greatest restaurants in the world.

In 1988, Albert's son Michel Roux Jr joined Le Gavroche and over a period of years took over the day-to-day management of the restaurant. He is now the chef/patron.

Gordon Ramsay wrote: 'So so sad the hear about the passing of this legend, the man who installed Gastronomy in Britain, we've shared the same office for the last decade and walking up those stairs today is going to be really difficult, thank you Albert for everything you gave me, God Bless you Chef.'Piers Morgan also paid tribute

Gordon Ramsay wrote: 'So so sad the hear about the passing of this legend, the man who installed Gastronomy in Britain, we've shared the same office for the last decade and walking up those stairs today is going to be really difficult, thank you Albert for everything you gave me, God Bless you Chef.' Piers Morgan also paid tribute, right

A statement from The Michelin Guide on Twitter said: 'Albert Roux OBE, along with his late brother Michel, was a father of the UK restaurant industry and his legacy will live on through the many chefs who passed through his kitchen'

A statement from The Michelin Guide on Twitter said: 'Albert Roux OBE, along with his late brother Michel, was a father of the UK restaurant industry and his legacy will live on through the many chefs who passed through his kitchen'

Chef James Martin also paid tribute to Roux saying: 'Such a sad start to the year... Albert Roux was a true titan of the food scene in this country and inspired and trained some of the best and biggest names in the business. RIP and today I will open a bottle of the finest red and raise a glass... in fact the bottle to you and your brother and say thank you for everything. My thoughts to all the Roux family and friends.'Chef Tom Kitchin wrote on Twitter: 'One of the true culinary greats has left us... Merci chef.. 'My thoughts are with the Roux family and the army of chefs you've influenced over the years.. You will be missed but never forgotten.. RIP #AlbertRoux'

Chef James Martin also paid tribute to Roux saying: 'Such a sad start to the year... Albert Roux was a true titan of the food scene in this country and inspired and trained some of the best and biggest names in the business. RIP and today I will open a bottle of the finest red and raise a glass... in fact the bottle to you and your brother and say thank you for everything. My thoughts to all the Roux family and friends.'

Tommy Banks pays tributeTom Kerridge pays tribute

Fellow chefs Tommy Banks, pictured left, and Tom Kerridge, pictured right, also paid tribute to the 'pioneer' and 'hero'

Roux married first wife Monique shortly after he turned 17. He had left school intending to become a priest, but quickly thought the better of it  

Roux married first wife Monique shortly after he turned 17. He had left school intending to become a priest, but quickly thought the better of it  

Roux with with his second wife Cheryl Smith (right) at a private view and auction at Christie's in London on September 20, 2004

Roux with with his second wife Cheryl Smith at a private view and auction at Christie's in London on September 20, 2004

Food critic Jay Rayner paid tribute to Albert Roux (pictured) tweeting: 'Albert Roux was an extraordinary man, who left a massive mark on the food story of his adopted country'

Food critic Jay Rayner paid tribute to Albert Roux tweeting: 'Albert Roux was an extraordinary man, who left a massive mark on the food story of his adopted country'

Gordon Ramsay, 54, was one of a number of future stars, including Marcus Wareing and Marco Pierre White, who trained at Roux's Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

He was later invited by Roux to join him at Hotel Diva, a ski resort in the French Alps, as his number two.

The pair remained close friends and have operated out of the same office building for the last decade.

Outside of the kitchen, Roux was a keen fisherman and enjoyed trips to the Scottish Highlands.

The Rouxs continue to run a small group of Chez Roux restaurants in a number of hotels in the region.

He was married three times with his final wedding, to Maria, taking place in 2018. 

Animal rights organisation Peta said on Twitter: 'RIP Albert Roux. This multi-Michelin-starred French chef helped many people see that foie gras is animal torture.

'He famously said that like cigarettes, it should carry a warning about the hideous suffering of the ducks and geese abused for its production.

'We'll never forget him.'

Sir Rocco Forte, chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels, said: 'This is very sad news and particularly after the death last year of his younger brother Michel. 

'The two were instrumental in raising the quality of cooking in the UK training a large number of English chefs, many of who have become stars in their own right. 

'They brought glamour to an industry which 50 years ago had a poor profile and so encouraged a huge number of young people to join it and make successful careers. 

'Both their sons, Michel (Albert's) and Alain (Michel's), continue to work in the tradition established by their fathers and have made a mark in their own right.'

'A true titan of the food scene in UK' Albert Roux, the French-born founder of the Michelin-starred Le Gavroche who is credited with kick-starting London's culinary revolution

Born in the region of Saone et Loire in France on October 8 1935, Roux began training as an apprentice patissier aged 14 before taking up a number of kitchen posts.

After serving in the military in Algeria, Roux worked as sous chef at the British Embassy in Paris, where he spent two years before leaving for the UK.

In April 1967, Albert and his brother Michel opened Le Gavroche in Chelsea with only £3,000, borrowing the rest of the funds.

He was also known for the Roux Scholarship, an annual chef competition founded in 1982 with Michel, to enable a new generation of chefs in the UK to train in some of the greatest restaurants in the world.

In 1988, Albert's son Michel Roux Jr joined Le Gavroche and over a period of years took over the day-to-day management of the restaurant. He is now the chef/patron.

Gordon Ramsay, 54, was one of a number of future stars, including Marcus Wareing and Marco Pierre White, who trained at Roux's Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

He was later invited by Roux to join him at Hotel Diva, a ski resort in the French Alps, as his number two.

The pair remained close friends and have operated out of the same office building for the last decade.

Albert Roux (R) and his brother Michel Roux, watch competitors during the finals of the 'Roux Scholarship' competition at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in 2009

Albert Roux and his brother Michel Roux, watch competitors during the finals of the 'Roux Scholarship' competition at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in 2009

Roux outside his Mayfair Restaurant, Le Gavroche in London, which acquired a legendary status

Roux outside his Mayfair Restaurant, Le Gavroche in London, which acquired a legendary status 

Roux, who was behind London's legendary Le Gavroche restaurant, had been ill for some time, his family said. He is pictured with his son, Michel Jr and granddaughter, Emily

Roux, who was behind London's legendary Le Gavroche restaurant, had been ill for some time, his family said. He is pictured with his son, Michel Jr and granddaughter, Emily

Chef Albert Roux arrives at Buckingham Palace for a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, for those 'Serving Beyond Sixty' on May 18, 2006

Chef Albert Roux arrives at Buckingham Palace for a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, for those 'Serving Beyond Sixty' on May 18, 2006 

Outside of the kitchen, Roux was a keen fisherman and enjoyed trips to the Scottish Highlands.

The Rouxs continue to run a small group of Chez Roux restaurants in a number of hotels in the region.

He was married three times with his final wedding, to Maria, taking place in 2018.

Tributes to the restaurateur have poured in from across the food industry, with former protege Ramsay sharing a photo of the pair together on Instagram.

He wrote: 'So so sad the hear about the passing of this legend, the man who installed Gastronomy in Britain, we've shared the same office for the last decade and walking up those stairs today is going to be really difficult, thank you Albert for everything you gave me, God Bless you Chef.' 

Chef James Martin said: 'Such a sad start to the year... Albert Roux was a true titan of the food scene in this country and inspired and trained some of the best and biggest names in the business.

'RIP and today I will open a bottle of the finest red and raise a glass... in fact the bottle to you and your brother and say thank you for everything. My thoughts to all the Roux family and friends.' 

Chef Tom Kitchin wrote on Twitter: 'One of the true culinary greats has left us... Merci chef..

'My thoughts are with the Roux family and the army of chefs you've influenced over the years.. You will be missed but never forgotten.. RIP #AlbertRoux'

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