Alain Roux’s Patronage Announcement

We are excited to announce our new patron, Alain Roux. Alain’s late father, Michel Roux, supported nsif as a patron for 15 years. Alain is delighted to follow in his father’s footsteps and continue the Roux family’s support of the charity.

Born into a family of chefs, Alain continues the Roux culinary tradition. When he announced to his father, at the age of 16, that he wanted to become a chef, Michel agreed it might be an idea for him to work at The Waterside Inn one day!  But Alain wanted to gain as much experience as possible in different places. After his apprenticeship in Paris in pastry, he spent seven years touring some of France’s most notable kitchens, including La Côte Saint-Jacques in Joigny and Restaurant Pic in Valence.  He walked into The Waterside Inn professionally for the first time in 1992 and spent years working through the ranks.  At the turn of the millennium, he was joint Chef Patron with his father, later to take over in his own right a couple of years later.

In 2000, Alain was invited to become a Master Pâtissier in the International Association Relais Desserts putting him amongst the best pastry chefs in the world. Alain is also a proud member of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, the leading professional association in UK. In 2008, Alain ran Honorary Fellow of Thames Valley University’s Faculty of Professional Studies. Then In 2015, Alain became joint Chairman of the Roux Scholarship, alongside his cousin, Michel Roux Jr,. All these venerable commitments demonstrate Alain’s inherent desire to foster the next generation of chefs.

We are very grateful to have had the support of the Roux family over the past 15 years and are excited to have Alain joining us as a patron going forward.

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