Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari's Caractère are now taking bookings for their October opening

The Staff Canteen

Emily Roux and her husband Diego Ferrari have confirmed their first solo venture Caractère in Notting Hill will launch on the 4th October and that bookings are now open.

The much-anticipated restaurant from Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari are taking bookings for their forthcoming opening which will take place on the 4th October.

Emily posted on Instagram earlier this summer a picture of the keys for the property making her the third generation of the Roux family to open her own restaurant.

On Instagram she said: "@f_diego And I are beyond excited for this new adventure and can’t wait to show you how @caractererestaurant will evolve in the next few months."

Caractère is a play on both chefs’ unique and strong characters, their family influences, and their cooking and eating experiences, which will be reflected both in the menu and the décor. 
The food will be focussed on simple and delicious French and Italian dishes, stemming from both chefs’ heritage and expertise.

Each season the menu will change, and diners will also have the opportunity choose from the daily specials. The wine list will offer both French and Italian wines, and will predominantly feature smaller winemakers.

Emily says: “My background and my training is, of course, Classic French fine dining, but I’ve always been so in love with Italian food.  Then I found love with Italian-born Diego when we were both working in Monaco at Alain Ducasse’s three Michelin starred restaurant, Le Louis XV. Since we’ve been together, he has taught me so much about Italian food.  Our new restaurant brings together our story, and our menu will always be a reflection of the food we love to cook and love to eat,” 

Diego added: "We are incredibly excited about opening our first restaurant together. Caractère is the manifestation of everything we love, and we cannot wait to share it.”.

Caractère will open on the junction of Ledbury Road and Westbourne Park Road in a 2,500 sq ft space formerly occupied by Bumpkin and the Good Leaf restaurants.

The daughter of Michel Roux Jr, Emily left the UK for Lyon to train taking herself out of the spotlight, Roux is a common name in France and didn’t carry the same preconceptions she may have found in the UK. She studied at the Institut Paul Bocuse before going to work in Monaco and then Paris for three years. She worked for two years at Akrame with Michelin-starred chef Akrame Benallal.

She returned to London to work as a consultant for Restaurant Associates with the aim of eventually opening her own restaurant.

To book your table, visit: https://www.caractererestaurant.com/book/

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 13th September 2018

Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari's Caractère are now taking bookings for their October opening