The Waterside Inn celebrates 25 years at the top

Top chefs from across the UK and Ireland gathered at The Waterside Inn in Bray last week to help Michel Roux senior and his son Alain celebrate the restaurant’s 25 years as the holder of three Michelin stars.

The Waterside Inn is the only restaurant outside France to have held onto the industry’s highest accolade for 25 consecutive years.

Opened in 1972 by Michel Roux, the restaurant has been managed for the past eight years by Alain.

Among the illustrious role call of over 60 fellow chefs in attendance were Tom Aikens, Shaun Hill, chef-patron of The Walnut Tree Inn; Angela Hartnett, head chef at Murano; and Hélène Darroze, chef-patron at The Connaught.

Describing 2010 as “an extremely special year” for the team, Alain Roux said: “We have accomplished this great honour by maintaining consistently high standards and by building a team of loyal and passionate people, who totally believe in what we are doing.

“It seems only fitting that we should celebrate with our fellow Michelin-starred chefs, both past and present, who just like us, are constantly striving for perfection.”

Guests sat down to a meal of 25 dishes, each taken from different menus featured at the restaurant over the last quarter of a century.

Highlights included “huîtres en geleé de concombre au caviar” from 2009 and “fondant de pigeonneau et caille au citron vert” from 2000.

Among the wines which accompanied the feast were Pommery’s Cuvée Louise 1999, Mouton Rothschild 1990 and Château d’Yquem 1986.

Gabriel Savage, 25.05.2010