Le Gavroche switches to five-day week to improve staff work-life balance

By Sophie Witts

- Last updated on GMT

Michel Roux Jr and daughter Emily will collaborate for the first time
Michel Roux Jr and daughter Emily will collaborate for the first time

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Michel Roux Jr has announced that Le Gavroche will switch to a five-day week in order to trial new pop-up dining experiences and improve staff hours.

From January 2016 the restaurant will close on Mondays to the general public but be available for private and corporate hire and host a series of pop-up events.

Le Gavroche said work-life balance and staff welfare were central to the success of the restaurant, and that the new model would allow the team to take more time away from work.

“We’re very excited about the new opportunities this will bring to the restaurant,” said Roux Jr.

“For many years, we’ve been trading six days a week, and whilst the traditional Le Gavroche experience will still be available for five of those days, having the restaurant closed on a Monday to the general public means that new Le Gavroche experiences can be offered within the restaurant.”

Family affair

Michel and his daughter Emily will be launching the Monday pop-up series on 1 February with ‘The Next Generation’ - described as an ‘intimate event’ that will see father and daughter collaborating for the first time.

Guests can also expect to experience offerings from previous Roux scholars as well as bespoke wine events and tutored tastings from the restaurant’s head sommelier, David Galetti, and his team.

Le Gavroche joins a growing number of Michelin restaurants which have reduced opening hours as a means to improve staff work-life balance.

James Close at The Raby Hunt in Darlington has scrapped weekday lunch service after he claimed the workload had become ‘demotivating’ for staff.

Sat Bains switched his Michelin-starred Nottingham restaurant with rooms to a four-day week this month. The chef said that while he predicted the restaurant would lose over £100,000​ he was willing to take the risk to improve staff retention.

Related topics Restaurant Openings Fine Dining

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