Emily Roux Talks Food Memories, Favourite Meals & More
I’ve grown with food from day one. I spent a lot of time at Le Gavroche while I was growing up, mainly on Saturdays. I’d be given lots of potatoes and tomatoes to chop – very basic tasks, but I loved the ambience and being in the kitchen. I also loved being part of one big family and working in a team. I’ve been lucky to have been surrounded by great food all my life. In those days, everyone in the kitchen would give me a little tip or trick. My dad even made me my own little chef’s jacket – much to my mum’s dismay as I would come home covered in stains.
We always cooked together as a family. As you can imagine, my father worked a lot but we always had time to do things together. Sundays were all about a simple roast chicken – something I still make with my own family. It taught me that simplicity is often best, and that cooking with the seasons makes all the difference.
I was 12 or 13 when I knew I wanted to be a chef. I was never particularly academic, and I didn’t excel at school, but I always felt at home in the kitchen when I was surrounded by food. Sitting behind a desk just wasn’t for me; I preferred being hands-on and constantly moving. At 18, I left school and enrolled at catering college in Lyon, where I studied everything from cooking and pastry to accounting, management and front of house. It was a diverse, all-encompassing introduction to the world of hospitality.
My father is a very fair and honest person. He’s also very humble, which is why he gets on with so many colleagues and employees. That’s something that’s stuck with me over the years – without your team, nothing is possible. You spend so much time together because you work long hours. I’m incredibly proud of my team at Caractère; we’re a tight family unit.
My go-to comfort dish is usually something quick, nourishing, and easy to throw together – especially with two boys to feed. It’s often a pasta dish with fresh pesto and whatever veg I have to hand, like broccoli or cavolo nero. Anything seasonal and full of flavour. A handful of nuts and a squeeze of lemon juice usually bring it all to life.
I always have sheets of puff pastry in the freezer. It’s great for speedy meals – something that resembles a pizza with some anchovies or olives. Or I’ll make a pie with leftover chicken and mushrooms, or even a fruit tart. At home, it’s all about easy, fuss-free dishes.
Garlic and chilli are two ingredients you’ll always find in my kitchen. I’m obsessed with garlic and chilli oil – I put it on everything from toast at breakfast to noodles and salads. I tend to stick to the same staples so I can always whip up something tasty at home for the kids, even on the busiest days.
We recently moved house and there’s a great sourdough bakery in Fulham near us. We love Little Sourdough Kitchen’s bread and pastries, as well as its small pots of tiramisu – my husband will often come home after service and demolish a pot.
I recently bought a rice cooker and it’s been a total game-changer. I genuinely don’t know how I managed without it. I’ve loved experimenting with different stocks and rice varieties, from long-grain and short-grain to brown rice, and adding spices to see how the flavours develop. If I were on a desert island, though, I’d have to have one good knife. With that, you can do just about everything.
One of my favourite restaurants in London, which also happens to be a bit of a hidden gem, is Hunan in Pimlico. It’s a Hainanese restaurant and they use lots of offal (which I love). They do a blind tasting menu with about 12 dishes which are all super tasty. It doesn’t get enough recognition and it’s been there for years – my parents used to take me as a child.
There are so many new openings in London and I have a list of the restaurants I want to visit. 74 Charlotte Street by Ben Murphy, which opens this week, is high on the list. I’ve followed Ben’s career for a while, so I know the food will be special. It’s in the same building where Monica Galetti’s Mere used to be, so I’m already fond of the location.
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One of the most memorable meals I’ve had was in Monaco at Le Louis XV, which holds three Michelin stars. It was already a special place for me as I met my husband in the kitchen when we worked there. We dined on the magnificent terrace that summer, with the casino on one side and the sea shimmering on the other – a setting that couldn’t have been more spectacular. It was also the first time my parents shared a dinner with Diego, which made it all the more special. Exceptional food, a gentle sea breeze – and a moment I’ll never forget.
If I could cook for anyone, dead or alive, it would have to be a comedian – someone like Michael McIntyre, who never fails to make me laugh. I’d highly recommend watching the prank he did with my father at Le Gavroche, where he served a woman her own frozen food, pretending it was freshly prepared by my dad. She was full of comments, completely unaware it had come straight from her own freezer – it’s brilliant.
My death row meal would start with a simple pasta dish followed by a ribeye steak. Or a bavette – I like meat that’s dry-aged with a little more flavour. I’d have it with bearnaise sauce and nice, crispy fries. I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, so something fruity and fresh, like a mille-feuille with perfect chantilly cream would be perfect.
Instant noodles are my guilty pleasure. I do like to zhuzh them up with my own ingredients, but they are out of the packet….
Filming Knife’s Edge was incredible – unlike anything we’d done before. It was a long project, shot over the course of nearly a year, and having the whole team on that journey made it even more special. Caractère is a small restaurant with a tight-knit team and a compact kitchen, so adding a full camera crew into the mix made for quite the squeeze. I’ve even found myself getting emotional watching the other chefs’ stories – knowing firsthand how intense and personal the journey is when you’re working towards a star. I feel genuinely proud and honoured to be featured in such a major series, and I’ve loved watching every episode.
Knife’s Edge on Apple TV is available to watch now. Catch up on Emily’s episode here.
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