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Roux and Ramsay's T5 battle
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard22 Feb 2008
One of Britain top chefs, Albert Roux, is to run a restaurant at Heathrow Terminal 5.
Opening in June, Brasserie Roux at the Sofitel hotel, will be the second dining room on the site to which a celebrity chef has given his name. Gordon Ramsay is opening one in the departure area.
Brasserie Roux will be landside, rather than airside, but the hotel has direct access to the new BA terminal.
As consultant, Albert Roux will oversee the development and operation of the Sofitel 100-seat brasserie.
It intends to provide diners with the best of French regional cooking in an informal backdrop. It will have a boardroom for private use, as well as a "chef 's table" in the heart of the kitchen.
Working alongside Albert will be a head chef responsible for day-to-day operations.
Mr Roux said: "I am really excited to be involved in such a prestigious project.
"My aim at the Sofitel London Heathrow is to provide guests and visitors to the hotel with a culinary experience that is second to none.
"Brasserie Roux will enable diners to forget their airport surroundings, allowing them to sit back, relax and enjoy world-class cuisine."
John Donaldson, executive director of Sofitel London Heathrow, said: "Our aim is quite clear - to lead the way not only as a world-class hotel, but as a worldclass dining experience. I am confident that Albert's experience and knowledge will provide real inspiration for our head chef and the team."
Roux, who has been awarded an OBE and Legion d'honneur, is one of the world's best known chefs.
In 1967 he and younger brother Michel opened Le Gavroche, Britain's first Michelin-starred restaurant, in London.
In a poll carried out by Caterer & Hotelkeeper Magazine, Albert and his brother were voted the most influential chefs in the country.
