With his daughter Emily having recently launched her own restaurant Caractère in Notting Hill with husband Diego Ferrari, he said that one of the most important roles he had now was in mentoring young chefs.
That mission and his own undimmed enthusiasm for cooking, said the 58-year-old, would keep him going for a while yet. Though he did foresee a time ahead when he might ease the workload a bit.
He continues to run the family business Le Gavroche, is involved in the Roux Scholarship, a competition for chefs under 30 working in the UK, and also works with contract catering giant Compass’s Restaurant Associates brand operating the venues Roux at Parliament Square venue and the Roux at The Landua in the luxury hotel The Langham.
In fact his company Chez Roux strengthened the relationship with The Langham in 2015 when it took over the catering at all the hotels F&B outlets as well as conferences and events banqueting.
He said watching and helping his father Albert, mother Monique and uncle Michel persuaded him he wanted to become a chef too.
Helping to churn and then taste home-made vanilla ice cream remains one of his earliest and strongest childhood memories in the kitchen.
Since then he identified Alain Chapel and his signature restaurant Mionay near Lyon where he worked as commis de cuisine as one of the biggest influences on him.
He developed a TV career as well when he was asked to be a judge and presenter on BBC’s popular prime-time show MasterChef: The Professionals from 2008-2013 and has since presented a number of other series for the BBC, Channel 4 and the Disney Channel.
Asked about his ideal meal, he plumped for grilled lobster with Bearnaise sauce and chunky chips.