MICHEL ROUX JR.’S ISLE OF WIGHT FOOD ADVENTURE

On the 23rd of February, celebrity chef Michel Roux Jr. was invited for a specially planned Isle of Wight food trip by Head Chef Alex Kimber, of Heron Bar and Restaurant in Ryde. As they toured some of the Island’s local producers, Style of Wight was given exclusive access to follow their journey and hold a quick early evening interview with Michel at Heron before he cooked a very special menu.

The Host - Heron, Isle of Wight

Situated at Number 2, Castle Street, Ryde, Heron is an award-winning bar and restaurant which has occupied this cosy spot, just off Union Street, since July 2021. Stepping inside you’ll find a cosy interior, with exposed brickwork and flagstone floors, plus a tempting mixture of aromas emanating from the restaurant’s open kitchen. Owners Alex (head chef) and Laura (front-of-house) previously ran The Cottage in Shanklin for three years, making it an unmissable place to dine with rave reviews and accolades. However, a pandemic re-think saw them swap Shanklin for Ryde and begin their latest venture. Since opening, Heron has quickly built an enviable reputation for quality fine dining and locally sourced produce, winning a 2 AA Rosette Award earlier this year. From their celeriac and miso schnitzel (using celeriac from Apse Heath’s Living Larder) to pheasant kiev with confit garlic butter (using game from Cheverton Farm), the pair have assembled a stand-out selection of Isle of Wight producers, as well as a talented team of staff to support them.

Usually found in the kitchen of his two Michelin-starred restaurant on Mayfair’s Upper Brook Street, Michel Roux Jr. is an award-winning British chef, best known for his seven cookbooks and appearances on BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals. Born and raised in Kent, his father was Albert Roux OBE, who brought classical French haute cuisine to London with his restaurant Le Gavroche (The Urchin) which he opened alongside his brother in 1967. For Michel though, his culinary career began in France, with a series of challenging apprenticeships — first working with master pastry chef Henri Hellegouarch in Paris and later near Lyon with the legendary chef Alain Chapel. After cooking for not one, but two, French presidents at the Élysée Palace in the early 1980s, Michel worked in Hong Kong and London before the opportunity arose to take over his father’s restaurant in 1991. Over the years, Michel has gradually adapted the menu to suit his own style of cooking and provided a lighter, more modern twist, whilst still staying true to the restaurant’s Gallic roots.