The renowned restaurant, Le Gavroche, shuttered in January after its owner Michel Roux Jr. chose to concentrate on other initiatives.
The establishment was launched by his father and uncle, Albert Roux and Michel Roux Sr., in the core of London’s Mayfair region in 1967.
Becoming the first UK establishment to earn three Michelin stars, it acted as a stepping stone in the career paths of famous chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White, and Marcus Wareing.
At its closure, it was found that there were still hundreds of fine wine bottles in its cellar, leading the owners to announce their sale at auction.
Christie’s led the auction, culminating in the sale of all 670 lots at high average prices, amounting to a total of £1,877,038.
In one of the lots that was most anticipated, there were seven bottles of the 1993 Richebourg from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. This lot was sold at a staggering £35,000, way above its initial estimate between £14,000 and £22,000.
In another high stakes sale, two magnums from Château Lafite Rothschild 1945 were sold at £15,000, against an initial estimate of between £6,000 and £8,000. Also, magnums from Krug 1971 & 1975 exceeded their estimates, netting a handsome £9,375.
Living up to the expectations of the event, Tim Tiptree MW, the international director of wine and spirits at Christie’s, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the sale. He said, ‘We are thrilled with the results of the sale, which is the first single-owner sale of what is an incredibly exciting season ahead.’
Le Gavroche also auctioned off a variety of artworks and keepsakes from the restaurant in a bid to generate funds for charity.
The items auctioned included their guestbook, signed by more than 500 renowned guests, such as Charlie Chaplin, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and Barbra Streisand. Despite its estimate ranging from £3,000 to £5,000, the guestbook was ultimately sold for an impressive £37,800.
This section of the auction accumulated a grand total of £392,238, all meant to be donated to the industrial charity, Hospitality Action.
In response to the successful auction, Michel Roux Jr expressed his delight: “The results of the two-part auction paying tribute to the cherished artworks, special items, and wines from Le Gavroche have been astounding. It has been truly extraordinary to witness such enthusiastic bidding for elements of the restaurant’s rich history.”
‘These items hold immense significance for the Roux family, and I am pleased to see these iconic pieces find new homes.’
This summer, he will open ‘Le Gavroche residencies at sea’ on board two luxury cruise ships – Cunard’s Queen Anne and Queen Mary 2, which will travel from the UK to Norway.