ONE of the original superchefs, Albert Roux, came to Dublin this week as part of his job as adviser to Marks & Spencer's food department. Oozing gallic charm, the founder of the Michelin starred La Gavroche is proof for any budding chef that it's possible to have a poor start and still end up on top - his first job 43 years ago was as a scullery hand in a big house in Waterford which was considerably less glamorous than the year he spent in London working for Nancy, Lady Astor.

Chefs who have trained under him, including Roscoff's Paul Rankin, have found the Frenchman a hard taskmaster, but his private audience at the Shelbourne on Thursday was putty in his pudgy hands.