Earlier in the Autumn, I was give the opportunity from Handcnews to attend the relaunch of Roux at Parliament Square after its glamorous refurbishment.

There was a warm and friendly welcome on arrival at Roux at Parliament Square, with plenty of Taittinger and a personal handshake from Michel.

The canapés came out in delicious waves leaving behind content guests and delighted faces.

They included Socca pancakes, with courgette, white onion and romesco, perfect to hand roll and devour. Mushroom crackers with stilton and kale, with their exciting textures and sublime flavours and little urchin-shaped bowls of delightful dorset crab, apple dashi and fermented chilli.

Then came the 56 day aged beef, freshly sliced, with pomme puree, and the famous veal sweetbreads, complimented by the most beautiful Chilean Bravos.

The Bearded One and I found ourselves quite comfortable in the wine corner enjoying the stunning new interiors and the company of the other guests.

In between all the outstanding food, I found time to pass on my congratulations to Steve Groves, who floated between the floors, answering questions and sharing jokes with friends old and new.

Personal desserts of Manjari chocolate, hazelnut and creme fraiche were available for those with a sweet tooth, and upstairs in the bar were cocktails and the largest cheeseboard I had ever seen. (As most of my friends know, I am a serious lover of cheese) These kept our attention until an hour after the party was supposed to end.

The hospitality was exceptional and I was even given a box of cheese to take home as I couldn’t bear to see it wasted.

Thank you to Kate and Holly for the invitation and to Michel, Steve and their team for making us feel so at home.