The original Michelin man

Michelin three-star chef Michel Roux is a rarity in the culinary world. For though he is one of the original kitchen A-listers he knows his roots – and has stuck with them.

While modern celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Gary Rhodes have built international empires through opening restaurants around the world, 67-year-old Roux has kept his business niche and built an incredibly successful family enterprise that is now in its second generation. After 50 years in the business, the French-born chef decided enough was enough and handed the day-to-day running of his restaurants to his son, Alain.

"When I turned 65 I wanted to be able to let the business be run by my son because if I didn't do it then, when would he fly alone?" said Roux, his distinct French accent unaltered despite living in the UK for 40 years. "I've been working since I was 14 and enough is enough. My son came to me at 14 and said he wanted to be a cook.

"There was never any pressure on him so when he came naturally it made me very happy and proud, especially because there aren't many family businesses in this industry."

The culinary master still keeps his hand in with regular trips around the world giving master classes and lectures. But his real food passion now is helping young people and giving them the opportunity he and elder brother Albert never had.

The brothers started their empire with a patisserie before Michel followed his older sibling to London where they opened their first restaurant, La Gavroche, in Mayfair in 1967. La Gavroche – now run by Albert's son, Michel Roux Jr – became the first restaurant in the country to earn three Michelin stars in 1982. The brothers opened the Waterside Inn in Berkshire in 1972. Michel admitted he wasn't a businessman to start with but was forced to learn, otherwise he would have failed.

"The starting point is to be a good chef then along the line you have to acquire knowledge of business including knowing how to read a balance sheet and produce profit otherwise you will go out of business.

"You have to know business but the most important thing is the cooking because that's your bread."

Michel will be in Dubai in November for the third time for Jumeirah's annual Festival of Taste. He will run Vu's restaurant in Jumeirah Emirates Towers, something he is looking forward to thanks to the success of previous visits. Although he will not have much time off as he imparts his wisdom to the emirate's chefs and diners he will have a little time to take in the city.

"I enjoy the scenery and doing things in Dubai I can't do at home, but I will be busy as I'll be up and on duty every morning. I don't mind though because it's a hobby and I love what I do and being in the restaurant sharing it and meeting people. The culinary world is small so even here I meet clients from London."

As Roux waxed lyrical about his friends Michel Rostang and Giorgio Locatelli, both of whom have opened restaurants at Atlantis, The Palm this week, he revealed his love for the emirate's cuisine and overall dining experience.

"It's like a mushroom effect, it's wonderful because you get the best quality food, the guests are happy and there's a real mix of classic and modern food from all over the world. The restaurants are as good as in Europe and some are even better."

With all this praise, does that mean he has plans for a Roux venture here?

"I might because when you look at Dubai it's one of the world's up-and-coming places. It would be a challenge. I'll have a look at the opportunities but it's not on my list as a must."

Instead, he is discovering new places in the world, new products and new cooking techniques that will go back into the Roux Scholarship. The programme has been running for 25 years and gives aspiring chefs the opportunity to win a place at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

"Entering is like having a door opened and the world is their oyster. We give them the opportunity of doing things we couldn't do and give them knowledge and power to get in touch with people.

"It's also membership to a club and being a scholar means you can call me any time. Every two years we get together and choose where the winner will go. It's fantastic what you learn when you travel and see new scenery."

The way scholars are chosen is similar to the way he selected staff, although this task is now down to Alain.

"The selection is simple – it's about attitude, not the colour of their skin or their background or anything else. Within 15 minutes I know whether I want to employ them. I wasn't born with a golden spoon in my mouth and I don't like people like that – you have to work to achieve something in life." Roux divides his time between France, England, his base in Switzerland and a few months in different parts of the world, but he loves nothing better than to go back to Switzerland.

"I love my life. As a kid I went on summer holidays to the mountains and loved the scenery.

"I love watching the sea and being there too but once you've seen it, that's it, whereas mountain scenery changes so I decided to buy a place.

"I looked at France but I wanted to go to a country that's safe and Switzerland offers that – it's a little heaven."

Roux said the escalating levels of violence in the UK were driving him away, with knife crime being a particular concern. "I don't want to take the Tube after 10pm – is that normal?

"It certainly isn't but then I go to New York and walk around at midnight and feel very happy so if they can do it there, surely they can do it in London."


Record breakers

Michel and Albert Roux became the first people in the United Kingdom to receive three Michelin stars for their restaurant La Gavroche.

The establishment, in London's Mayfair gained the final one in 1982, which are awarded for outstanding quality. Their other restaurant, the Waterside Inn, also has three stars and Michel admits it has been a big challenge to maintain them.

"To get one star is hard but to keep them is even harder. There needs to be discipline because there is a lot of pressure.

"It's like watering a plant – you can't leave it home alone, you have to water it every day. "It's the same with a Michelin star, I love it and keep learning but you are only as good as your last meal," he says.

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