Other / Ralph Ellis / 17 October 2009 / Leave a comment

Normally at Betfair we'd think the Michelin guide helps you choose your tyres, but this week we couldn't resist the invitation to talk to Masterchef The Professionals judge Michel Roux Junior in the kitchen of his award winning Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche

"I’m an honorary member at Harlequins, which hasn’t been simple recently as they’ve been going through a rough patch" Michel Roux Jnr

Michel, we're big fans of Masterchef, how do you rate this year's crop of talent?

Excellent, and they are really starting to shine through now. We had a few issues in the early rounds but it's looking very good now

Last year's winner Derek Johnstone ended up working for you

And he still is

So are you a bit like a football club, always scouting for new talent?

Yes you do, you are constantly looking for new people to add some more flair and quality to what goes on here

We imagine the kitchen is a bit like a dressing room, with the head chef throwing tea-cups - or in your case starters - around?

(Laughs) Yes, there's tantrums and a few rollickings, but it should never resort to bullying or to physical stuff. It's the same principle that you definitely need a boss, somebody that takes command, so it's a good analogy

We think Monica is probably more scary than Sir Alex Ferguson

Maybe, I'm not saying!

We know apart from fine food you love sport too. Tell us about your London Marathons.

Well I've done 16 now, ten of them in London, and hopefully will make that 11 next year as it's the first one with Virgin as sponsors, but hopefully is the word because I've got to have a scan on my knee. I've got a problem at the moment, which from the initial prognoses is medical ligaments

Oh dear.

Oh dear exactly. I'm down to run a 10k at Hatfield House this Sunday but I'm not sure if I can make that.

How does your food and running mix. Some of your recipes are pretty rich?

I don't know if you've seen my book The Marathon Chef? That's very light cooking and no dairy fats in there at all. But you're right, a lot of what I cook is not exactly recommended for athletes. But then perhaps I'm the proof you can eat very well, and French food, and none the less keep a fit body and run marathons to a good time

So what was your best?

Three hours and 13 minutes. It takes a lot of practice runs to get that good!

We're told rugby is your other big sporting passion?

Yes, but I'm an avid football fan too

Are you French or English? If they play each other what side do you fall down on?

On the winning side! I'm very fortunate in that way, I was born in this country so have an affiliation to England and support them very vociferously in both sports, but I have a soft spot for France as well as both my parents are French and I worked extensively in France in my younger days

Get off the fence! It's the World Cup final in South Africa this summer, France v England, who are you backing now?

Oh no! I really wouldn't know which team to cheer. It is fair to say it's probably the only thing that would make me put a big screen up in the restaurant though!

Harlequins are your rugby club?

Yes, I'm an honorary member, which hasn't been simple recently as they've been going through a rough patch. It's so tough to have a definite opinion on all the Bloodgate business. I do think it's been going on a long time and we happen to be the ones who got caught. I just think the sport has to clean up this grey area. Why not just have tactical substitutions that can come back on?

Will you watch them play Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday?

Definitely. French rugby is in a renaissance at the moment, which is due to the influx of foreign players. It's much maligned in both football and rugby, and people say it doesn't give an opportunity for home grown lads, but it should give a kick up the backside to the home players who have got to react by saying: 'We have to play better to get in the team'. If you've got great players alongside you, you'll only get better.
Your favourite player of all time?

Ooh, I'd go back to when I was a kid and Grant Fox, who was metronomic with his kicking when he played for the All Blacks in the 1980s. Don't think I ever saw him miss one.

And a favourite footballer?

That one's easy, Eric Cantona. For the flair, and the dedication, and that little something different, that strutting French style that's a characteristic of the country's top sportsmen. You can only strut when you really do the business, and he really did.

Thanks for your time and we've a free £50 bet for a favourite charity

I've run my marathons for VICTA, which helps partially sighted and blind children to get out and about and get a bit of sporting activity. And I know Cristiano Ronaldo has been banging in goals for Real Madrid but I'm going to back Wayne Rooney to be top scorer in the Champions League at [26.0]. He takes penalties now so much have a chance.

Tags: Eric Cantona, Grant Fox, Harlequins, Heineken Cup, London Marathon, Michel Roux Jnr, Toulouse