The Two Worlds of Alain Roux
At The Waterside Inn in Bray, the table linen is crisp, the silver polished to a quiet gleam, and the view across the Thames as tranquil as a Turner sketch. It’s here — in this seductive bubble of tranquillity and finesse, famous for its classic French cuisine — that Alain Roux continues to uphold one of the most remarkable culinary legacies not only in the UK but in the world — a three Michelin star distinction held unbroken for 40 years and counting. No other restaurant in the UK comes close.
Yet just downstream — a ten-minute boat ride away — sits its counterpoint: Roux at Skindles. The music, chatter and energy drift a little louder in this brasserie and cocktail bar, which guests often describe as a “gem of a place.”
“The Waterside Inn is like a grand old dame — elegant, refined, consistent,” Roux tells me. “Skindles is more like the favourite niece — lively, charming, a bit rebellious. I love them both. They each speak to a different part of me.”
Opened by Alain in 2018, Roux at Skindles draws inspiration from the spirited warmth of his late father Michel Roux OBE’s 1970s venture, Brasserie Benoît — a beloved haunt in the City favoured by financiers and creatives alike. But this riverside brasserie is distinctly Alain’s. Its food is French inspired — seasonal, contemporary, simple and hearty — prepared in an open kitchen where guests can see the team at work — underpinned by Roux technique reimagined for an informal setting.
“I didn’t want Skindles to be seen as the little brother to The Waterside Inn,” he says. “With its lively, easy-going vibe, it has a distinct identity of its own — but it still carries our name, our service philosophy. Just with a different kind of energy.”
If Roux at Skindles is the accessible, younger relative, The Waterside Inn is evolving on its own terms. Alain officially took over the helm from his father in 2002, and under his stewardship, the restaurant has not only retained its three Michelin stars but continues to evolve with grace. For a restaurant built on quiet mastery, the changes are subtle — but significant. “What people don’t always see is how much we change,” he says. “Menus change, teams evolve, ingredients shift. But the essence — the welcome, the feeling — remains constant.”
This autumn marks a new chapter. Guests can opt for a dedicated gueridon-style menu at The Waterside Inn — a celebration of elegant tableside service inspired by the classical à la Russe tradition. Dishes are carved, flamed, or finished before your eyes — a sensory performance as well as a culinary one. It’s part of what Roux sees as “a return to the joy of dining,” where experience matters as much as precision.
Two celebratory menus take centre stage this season at The Waterside Inn, created to honour the restaurant’s four decades of three Michelin stars. The Lunch Célébration Menu offers four perfectly composed courses for £150 per person — including a glass of Alain Roux Champagne — while the Menu des Étoiles, a seven-course tasting experience priced at £275, showcases the full sweep of the kitchen’s seasonal creativity and classical precision. These are just two of several dining options available, but both offer an exquisite route into one of Britain’s most exceptional culinary institutions.
The sense of renewal extends beyond the plate. Laura Roux, Alain’s wife, has lovingly restyled the restaurant’s interiors, private dining spaces, and guest rooms. “Laura has such a strong sense of aesthetic — the softness of colour, the feel of each room,” he says. “She’s been instrumental in making The Waterside Inn feel renewed without losing any of its soul.”
Then there’s the Alain Roux Culinary School, which opened in 2023 in the grounds of The Waterside Inn — a deeply personal project that took shape in the aftermath of the pandemic and shortly after Michel Roux OBE’s passing. “It was a big risk,” Alain reflects. “But I felt it was necessary — a way to honour everything he stood for.” The school offers guests the chance to cook alongside The Waterside Inn’s chefs, then enjoy the fruits of their labour in the dining room or culinary garden. “It’s not about teaching gimmicks. It’s about passing on the love, the discipline, the detail — everything I learnt from him.”
And legacy remains a theme throughout. This week, Alain and his cousin Michel Roux Jr were jointly awarded the AA’s Outstanding Contribution Award — a profound recognition for two chefs carrying the flame of a family that changed the face of British gastronomy. “We are deeply honoured,” says Alain. “It’s a reminder of the responsibility we carry — but also the joy of it.”
That joy continues in many forms. On 24th October, The Waterside Inn will host a special instalment of its Michelin Legends dinner series — a six-course collaboration between Alain Roux and Clare Smyth MBE, the only British female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars. Acclaimed French pastry chef Vincent Guerlais, President of Relais Desserts International, will also join to create the evening’s showstopper dessert. Priced at £1,400 per guest (including a £400 charitable donation), the evening promises passion, camaraderie and a rare gathering of culinary icons.
And while Roux’s focus remains firmly on the present, there’s a quiet spark of hope for the future too. “My children are still young, but both love to cook,” he smiles. “Whether they choose to follow this path or not, I hope the spark is there. Because once it catches, it becomes a lifelong flame.”
In his two family restaurants, Alain Roux presents not just two ways to dine, but two ways to live. One magical, refined and decadent. The other buzzy, cool and laid-back. And in the balance between them, he keeps the Roux flame not only burning — but brilliantly so.
“It’s alive,” Roux smiles. “And I’m not done yet.”
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