The pedalling gourmet
Neil English (that’s him at the back) works up an appetite for a Michel Roux feast by riding 100 miles in the glorious Alps
WE’RE really going to turn i t on, Neil. We’re going to give them an evening of gastronomy they will never forget,’ says the chef known as the godfather of cookery.
With equal measures of passion and wisdom, Michel Roux Senior describes, in salivating detail, what he and his team of chefs – imported especially from his family-owned, three-Michelinstar Waterside Inn at Bray – will serve to guests on a gourmet cycling trip in Switzerland’s Crans-Montana next weekend.
‘I look forward to meeting them and showcasing the rich diversity of ingredients there is in this fertile region,’ says Michel.
‘By mid-September, the cows will have been grazing in the high pasture for four months, and one of my favourite cheeses, Tomme, will be full of flavour – so much richer than when produced after winter months.’
Michel has had a home in Crans-Montana for 11 years and he will be on hand to greet his cyclist guests at his restaurant, Le XIX.
The venue has imposing views of Mont Blanc and ov e rlooks the first tee of the championship golf course that has been hosting the European Masters this weekend.
Michel ho p e s the weather will be kind GODFATHER OF COOKERY: Michel Roux Snr at work in the kitchen for the cyclists, so that his guests can admire the stunning views along the Rhone Valley from the restaurant. As for the menu, Michel says: ‘I’m thinking lovely things, like a cold, refreshing courgette soup, and I love salade a la Grecque in summer. And the perch we get from Lac Leman is divine. ‘The fruit for our tarts should be magnifique. And maybe we’ll get in some of our fabulous beef or best end of roasted lamb with rosemary.’ For dessert, Michel promises to make them his favourite ile flottante – floating islands of meringue in creme anglaise, or custard to us mere mortals. Cycling widows or widowers do not have to miss out on other delights in the Swiss Alps – they will get the chance to enjoy some bracing mountain walks or wine-tasting sessions. Alternatives to the cycling itineraries include snows hoei ng o n t he Plaine-Morte glaci er, hiking and wine-tasting at local vineyards, a round at the famous Cranss ur- Si er r e gol f cl ub, a pedalo race on a mountain lake or luxuriating in t he spa and pool of the five-star Hotel Royal. I flew to Switzerland to get a taste of what’s i n store for the cyclists next weekend. First of all, the super- fi t , professional guides, who will lead and play s weeper to t he group, size up and equip each individ- ual with their choice of stateof-the-art bike.
I don’t know what it says about my level of fitness, but they handed me an electric bike.
Still, my day in the saddle was equally exhilarating and exhausting, even with a powered bike. I was proud to have cycled 100 miles, including tackling two incredibly tough Tour de France mountain stages. But I was disheartened to learn on my return t o London t hat s ome ot her
cyclists consider the use of an ebike as something akin to failing a drugs test!
AT MY local pub after the trip, I told friends how far I had cycled in the mountains. As you can imagine, the reaction was very positive. But then I let slip that I had used an e-bike. Cue shuddering silence. The universal glare of contempt was unnerving and I honestly thought, in a deeply uncomfortable moment, that one pal, who dons his lycra to ride a few miles to work on his shiny, £ 2,000 racing bike only if the weather is fine, was about to get violent.
In my defence, I tried to explain that, in fact, if you preserve the bike’s battery – as I did for the whole day – you still put in a significant effort, and that I was physically shattered at the end of the eight-hour round-trip.
My comments fell on deaf ears. I was a condemned man, hanged by an otherwise friendly jury.
There was no hostility to me on the trip, however. The atmosphere among our group was always good-humoured.
And at times, when it was blatantly apparent that it was necessary, I copied the guides by riding alongside others, giving them a gentle push in the small of their backs to help them up the steepest sections. This takes skill, strength and kindness, even on an e-bike. For long bike trips I’d happily opt for an e-bike again, whatever the snobbery in my local pub. My powered bike meant that I could still enjoy the views of the Valais canton, the joy of cycling to the top of the Col de la Forclaz and Emosson dam – the latter made its debut during the 2016 Tour de France.
And I was not so exhausted that I could not savour the wonderful food and wine of Michel Roux during a glorious long weekend in the mountains.