The Lowdown: The missing Le Gavroche frog
Sounds ribbiting…
It’s certainly a curious case. The frog in question is understood to have been taken by an attendee of a charity dinner held at Roux Jr’s Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche earlier this month in memory of the chef’s late father, Albert Roux.
Blimey! Some people have no shame. Was the frog valuable?
Very. According to The Staff Canteen, the frogs are made of recycled cutlery and are part of a wider collection of ornate animals that have been used as table decorations at Le Gavroche since 1989. They were created by an artist who lives in the south-west of France, who Michel had met by chance, with the artist now making them bespoke for the restaurant. It’s believed that the price of the sculptures starts from roughly £600 and can go up to £7,000.
Is there any clue as to where the frog could be?
It doesn’t appear so. At the time of writing, the hunt for the Le Gavroche frog is believed to be ongoing. Following the dinner, which took place in partnership with Hospitality Action and served dishes Albert Roux had created or would have served during his career, Roux Jr put out a message on Twitter calling for the frog’s safe return. “Fabulous evening last night celebrating my father’s life and raising money for Hospitality Action, shame that someone went home with one of our little frogs, hopefully he will find his way back,” he said.
Fabulous evening last night celebrating my fathers life and raising money for Hospitality Action, shame that someone went home with one of our little frogs, hopefully he will find his way back pic.twitter.com/McM53Tvjhu
— Michel Roux Jr (@michelrouxjr) February 2, 2023
How common is it for diners to take their own personal momentous?
As anyone who has worked in a restaurant will attest, it’s pretty prevalent. Basically, anything that isn’t nailed down is fair game in the eyes of a light-fingered diner. Popular trinkets to pilfer include handmade napkins, with Jamie Oliver famously saying back in 2012 that their constant theft from his now defunct Jamie’s Italian restaurant group was costing him £30,000 a month. Branded ashtrays, beer glasses or fridge magnets are also common targets. Some people go much bigger, though. A famous case in London saw the sign for Russell Norman’s much-missed Ape & Bird pub, which used to be on Shaftesbury Avenue, stolen and subsequently held for ransom as a practical joke.
Why do people feel so entitled to steal from restaurants?
This probably isn’t the place to get bogged down in the psychology of it all, but in many cases, it likely stems from a sense of privilege born out of the sector’s transactional nature. As our own editor, Stefan Chomka, told The Guardian back in 2019: “It’s a combination of alcohol and handing over significant money – an ‘I’ve paid for it’ mentality. Plus, it’s an opportunity to get nice one-offs. I wouldn’t pinch Bibendum’s butter dishes or Bob Bob Ricard’s mother-of-pearl caviar spoons, but I can see why the more nefarious might.”
Still hard to understand what would possess anyone to do something like that at a charity dinner, though
Indeed. While Roux Jr has a right to be hopping mad he has said that there would be ‘no questions asked’ for a quick return of the missing Le Gavroche frog. And he has asked anyone to get in touch with Le Gavroche on 020 7408 0881 if they know of its whereabouts.
