Born in 1991, Emily Roux is the daughter of Michel and granddaughter to Albert and joins the Roux Scholarship Board of Directors and panel of judges as of the 2024 competition.
Despite having been born into a culinary dynasty, Emily decided to train as a chef in France in order to find her own feet in the kitchen. Having grown up in London, her training began in 2010 where she worked in the kitchens of the Michelin starred La Table du Lancaster in Paris. She then moved to Monaco to work in the kitchens of two of Alain Ducasse’s restaurants; first La Trattoria, which gave her a deep appreciation for Italian food in both everyday cooking and in fine dining restaurants. She then went to work at Le Louis XV*** at the Hotel de Paris, where her stage allowed her to perfect the art of patisserie, therefore following in her grandfather and father's footsteps. After her nine-month stage, Emily then moved back to Paris where she stayed until August 2015. She was Demi-Chef de Partie at Le 39V* for 10 months, and then became Junior Sous-Chef at Akrame**.
On her move back to London, Emily began working with Restaurant Associates, as well as collaborating with her father Michel at Le Gavroche on a series of monthly events. Emily also continued to hone her skills in the kitchens of Chez Roux, working with Michel and Albert to ensure the extraordinary standard of cooking was delivered in the restaurants at Newmarket and Cheltenham Racecourses, as well as Chez Roux at Blue Riband, Epsom Derby and The Gatsby Club at Wimbledon.
In September 2017, Emily’s first recipe book, New French Table, written in conjunction with her mother Giselle Roux was published. The book sees the mother-and-daughter team share a fresh take on classic and contemporary French gastronomy, creating a modern bible for today’s lifestyle.
In October 2018, Emily opened her first restaurant with husband Diego Ferrari, Caractère. Based in Notting Hill, the restaurant encompasses what both Emily and Diego hold dearest – beautiful food, warm surroundings, expert and friendly service – all delivered with real character. Combining their love of classic French and Italian food, the menu is an expression of their culinary backgrounds and includes dishes that have been elevated from the dishes they love to cook for each other at home.
In October 2022, Emily and Diego hosted the round table discussion about Women Chefs and the Roux Scholarship, which resulted in a White Paper (read it here).
Emily joined the judging panel on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of The Roux Scholarship, and made a special film for screening at the final award ceremony explaining how important the competition has been in her life since her childhood. Watch it here.
How do you feel about joining the panel of judges?
I am super excited to be joining the panel of judges! Being alongside some incredible chefs and previous winners is a real honour.
Why did you choose to train as a chef in France?
I left for France because I wanted to be more anonymous without the pressure of being a Roux. I’m lucky enough to have been brought up by some of the greatest chefs in the world, but I wanted to be able to find my own feet and make my own name. It was easier to do that away from the UK.
Why is it important chefs hone their classic French skill set?
French culinary skills and techniques are used in kitchen all over the world, regardless of the dish being prepared. Classic French cuisine provides a solid base on which you can build all sorts of different flavours textures and aromas.
How can taking part in The Roux Scholarship help a chef's career?
I think The Roux Scholarship is a real trampoline for any young chef’s career. A real spotlight is shined on them and their incredible talent… plus you gain a bunch of amazing new colleagues in the industry!
What advice would you give chefs entering the competition?
The one question I would set to any new applicants is: 'What would make all the judges salivate?' whether it's for the written recipe judging or the final itself. What dish would all the judges want to devour?