The Roux family is a gastronomic dynasty. The Roux brothers, Albert and Michelle, founded Le Gavroche in Mayfair in 1967, which is now quite rightly revered as an institution. Over the significant years since they have not only firmly established themselves as the fathers of modern British Haute Cuisine, and they have spawned almost countless other stars of the plate. Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing, Marco Pierre-White and just about every other chef you might have heard of have spent time with the Rouxs, sharpening their skills and often their knives, before moving onto their own empire building. Then there is of course the most notable offspring – Michelle Roux Jr. Son, heir, presenter on Master Chef UK and possibly the nicest guy in British cuisine. A position though, that is not earned without significant recognition of the fact he has inherited the same passion, panache and prowess for putting food on our plates.
It was with this exciting heritage in mind that we were delighted to be inviting 16 select guests from the HedgeBrunch network to our October Private Dinner. This evening was in association with SurfAir – a new all-you-can-fly private jet member’s club launching this winter in Europe. It’s been hugely successful in California for those hopping regularly between the likes of Silicon Valley, San Francisco and LA, so we’re enthused for the Euro routes to start.
Our evening took place in the Postillion room, the private-dining room which has echoes of presidential grandeur thanks to its quite unique oval set-up. A roundtable here felt suitably weighty and very fitting for our collected guests who came from across alternative investing spectrum. We were greeted with flowing Perrier-Jouet as we mixed and mingled over delicate canapes and a warm and welcoming introduction from our host Christian Black, of The Langham Hotel.
Taking our seats for what was to be a consummate three course dinner we each made own personal introductions and brief highlights of our current projects. Long term HedgeBrunch friend and supporter Nick Bullman of CheckRisk talked on how we are entering into risk heavy period of 2017-2019. Amer Al Baho then enlightened us on the vagaries of moving from a single family office to multi family office and Igor Zlajic discussed the challenges of managing money at the same time launching a start-up, a theme we have encountered a lot recently as hedge professionals diversify their interests and achievements.
As our starters arrived (a delicately citrus-cured salmon, perfectly matched with a glass of superb Grüner Veltliner) Simon Talling-Smith of SurfAir told us more about the service and their coming launch. For those travelling regularly in Europe it’s quite an excellent proposition whereby a reasonable monthly fee (starting from £2500) gets you all the private air travel you need. More details can be found in the link below. Wild venison with spiced red cabbage and celeriac mash followed and was perfect for the season. Deep autumnal flavours matched with a remarkable 2013 Rijoa – the Lanzado Crianza, which was sublime.
Roux at the Landau is polished, elegant and refined yet lacking pretension. It retains its fine dining approach well but brings a modern feel, with vaulted wine corridors reminiscent of hip east London spots or those of the Meat Packing district in New York , all whilst sitting whilst a large hotel. No mean feat. The hotel has recently had a full renovation itself adding some deft touches which will surely attract the international traveller when in London. The spa facilities are world class and a new “members” lounge for resident guests offers a cosy yet exclusive setting to meet, work and relax.
About Roux at The Landau
In partnership with culinary icons and father and son team Michel Roux Jr and Albert Roux OBE, Roux at the Landau sees Masterchef finalist and Head Chef, Oliver Boon, create classically-constructed dishes using the finest seasonal ingredients with a contemporary style of presentation. Located at the top of Regent Street, Roux at The Landau offers guests a delectable combination of French inspired cuisine with a classic British twist. Private dining room Postillion, designed by the late David Collins, provides stunning views of All Souls Church and the BBC, accommodating up to 18 guests with bespoke menus tailored for every occasion. Every Sunday, the Roux Farmhouse Brunch in the main restaurant offers the only Chez Roux brunch in the capital with a sumptuous ‘Farm Table’ buffet and delicious à la carte dishes available. To explore booking events at Roux at The Landau and at The Langham Hotel click here or contact Christian
About SurfAir
There’s a smarter, better way to fly in Europe. Since 2013 Surf Air has delivered all-you-can-fly subscription air travel between key cities in California, and now we’re offering European travellers the same revolutionary new business model. Book flights in as little as 30 seconds. Arrive and board up to 15 minutes before departure, and bypass the traffic and queues of commercial airports. As a Surf Air Member you’ll fly out of private terminals on business jets, travelling exclusively with fellow Surf Air Members, as part of a private club of the European skies. It’s simple, seamless and smart, a better way to fly. For more info please visit www.surfair.com