MasterChef star Michel Roux blasts council over filthy street outside daughter’s restaurant
By Hannah Neary, Local Democracy Reporter
A MasterChef star has slammed a London council for leaving the street filthy outside his daughter’s restaurant.
French TV chef Michel Albert Roux has blasted Kensington and Chelsea council, over a cracked and grease-stained pavement in Notting Hill.
Mr Roux, also known as Michel Roux Jr, tweeted a photograph of a soiled pavement near Caractere – a restaurant run by his daughter Emily – on Wednesday, September 7.
The picture shows cracked and blackened paving stones next to the restaurant on the corner of Ledbury Road and Westbourne Park Road.
The 62-year-old also shared a screenshot which seems to show a reply from the council’s waste and street cleaning team to a complaint from the furious chef about the dirty pavement.
The message read: “This matter has been investigated and the following was found. Footway was in good condition when I inspected this afternoon.”
Mr Roux captioned the images: “I’d hate to see what they consider bad condition.”
I’d hate to see what they consider bad condition @RBKC pic.twitter.com/UdYAzeru6J
— Michel Roux Jr (@michelrouxjr) September 7, 2022
Kensington and Chelsea told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it will revamp the street and has reminded local food businesses to clean up after themselves properly.
A council spokesperson said officers have since visited the street and part of the pavement will be revamped with contractors starting work on Friday, September 9.
They added: “The paving stones have been damaged by vehicles mounting the footway. We will renew this section of the footway and lay the new stones on concrete base to prevent future damage by vehicles… The staining of the stones is caused by grease. On this occasion, it will not be necessary to jet wash the stones as we are replacing them.
“Our waste officers will speak with all food establishments in the vicinity and ensure they understand their responsibilities relating to leakage from waste bags and monitor the site once repaired.”
Mr Roux is chef-patron at Le Gavroche, a two Michelin-starred restaurant in swanky Mayfair. The restaurant opened in 1967 under Michel’s father Albert and his uncle Michel, who are widely credited for transforming Britain’s restaurant scene.
Caractere was opened by Emily and her husband/fellow chef Diego Ferrari in 2019 and describes itself as “casual, contemporary and independent restaurant”.
Michel Roux Jr was contacted for comment.
Pictured top: MasterChef star Michel Roux (Picture: Brian Minkoff-London Pixels)