Hailing from a family of world-famous chefs can have its advantages, but don’t be fooled – Emily Roux is dedicated to establishing her own identity, in her own kitchen. We catch up with the master craftsman and her husband-chef Diego Ferrari at Caractère, the Notting Hill-based restaurant they run together.
OUR TASTE OF TAKUMI AMBASSADORS
Emily Roux & Diego Ferrari
Takumi Ambassadors
INTERVIEW WITH EMILY ROUX
"We believe in cooking what we like to eat – the best ingredients, in the simplest way."
MOLTEN CHOCOLATE TART
Our favourite way to end a delicious meal is with a decadent chocolate dessert; this one is as popular at our dinner parties as it is on the menu at ‘Caractere’. And, wherever we make it, we always say it has to be enjoyed warm, gooey, and with a big scoop of ice-cream!
1. WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR TRAINING – WHICH TECHNIQUE WAS HARDEST TO MASTER?
EMILY: My first apprenticeship was in pastry, at a 3-Michelin-star restaurant in Monaco called Le Louis XV. The precision required there was just mind-boggling. If you were told it needed to be 2mm-by-2mm square, they would always take out a ruler and check – and if it wasn’t, it was going in the bin. It was a great learning curve, and a great platform for my career.
2. HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU THINK YOU’VE SPENT IN THE KITCHEN, IF YOU HAD TO GUESS?
EMILY: We’ve calculated this one. I’m at almost 38,000 – I’ve been working since the age of 18. But Diego, who started at the age of 15 and is now nearly 34, is totalling 55,000 hours – he’ll be a Takumi master very soon.
3. HOW DO YOU SEE THE PRINCIPLES OF TAKUMI AT WORK IN THE WORLD OF GASTRONOMY?
DIEGO: I see it in the precision, the dedication, the way we look after every dish with exactly the same high standards. Every day, for every customer.
4. WHAT KITCHEN STAPLE COULD YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT IN LOCKDOWN?
DIEGO: We couldn’t live without flour. We make pizza, focaccia, pasta, noodles, pies and cookies. For us, flour is essential!
5. WHAT PART OF DRIVING YOUR LEXUS DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?
EMILY: There’s so much we love about it. Every time we get into our garage, Diego opens the car door and says, ‘Oh, look how beautiful it is’. And it’s so tranquil, so easy to drive, you feel like you’re in your own little cocoon when you’re in there. Which is a perfect contrast to the hustle-and-bustle of the city.
"WORKING IN A KITCHEN CAN BE DIFFICULT, AND IT REQUIRES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SACRIFICE, BUT IT’S AN IMMENSE JOY."
- Emily Roux, Takumi Ambassador
