My lucky day

There I was, sitting in a chair similar to one you'd find at a dentist, getting my eyebrows waxed by Nina in Selfridges. Suddenly, an announcement:
"Attention customers, please join Michel Roux Junior at the Cookshop for a cooking demonstration."

EH? WOT WOT? MICHEL ROUX JUNIOR? But my eyebrows are only half done! Impatiently I wait for Nina - "Done! Take a look". I do a cursory glance into the mirror, give some smiling nods at Nina and push off the dental chair. With flaming eyelids fresh from waxing, I rushed 3 floors down, and claimed front row at Michel's cooking demo. Not that hard, since not many people were there at the time :P I can't help but grunt humorously when I hear an elderly oriental couple next to me exclaim, "Oh, look at that wok! Looks really good, is that what he's selling?"

My parents would've said the same thing *grin*

Who is he? He's Alain Roux's cousin :) That's Alain from Waterside Inn. Their family history goes a long way back. Michel Roux Jr's restaurant is called Le Gavroche. Very highly rated by Zagat. Number 28 on this list. It's one of the places I've been thinking about eating at for awhile. Thinking only, because I don't actually have anyone to go there with to eat :P According to their website, it was the first restaurant in the UK to earn first 1, then 2 and finally 3 Michelin stars. At the end of the cooking demo, I smile at Michel and walk over:
Me: "Do you mind doing me a favour? Can you sign my cup for me?"
Michel: "Sure! I've never been asked to sign a cup before!"
Me: "Normally I'd ask you to sign a menu. I have Alain's signature too." (Nothing like a bit of name dropping)
Michel: "Ooh, so you've been to Waterside Inn."
Me: "Yes. Isn't it your restaurant's 40th anniversary this year?"
Michel: "Yes, it is."
Me: "Did you do anything special?"
Michel: "We had plenty of parties!"
Me: "How come I wasn't invited?" *grin*

Michel laughs and winks and hands over an autographed fork (the cup didn't work cause it was waxed). Yup. I'm officially a celebrity chef groupie.

When I got home and looked in the mirror, I belatedly realise that Nina had done something weird to my left eyebrow :P