While a teenage Roux had intended to become a priest, the church’s loss was cooking’s gain. His start in kitchens saw him work as a commis de cuisine for Viscountess Astor, the second-ever elected female Member of Parliament, before working in the French Embassy and later serving in the French Armed Forces to complete a year of military service. A stint in the British Embassy followed but it was eight years as a private chef in Kent for Major Peter Cazalet –who himself would later rain racehorses for the Royal family – that changed Roux’s life, with the family helping Roux finance his first restaurant.