As a child, I gained the deepest understanding of food, without even knowing it.
Raymond Blanc
Raymond
Blanc
My journey began with a simple belief that good food is central to good living, something I learned from my mother, Maman Blanc, in my home town of Besançon, France. Unsure of where my passion lay, I started out as a waiter, and although I was fired for offering advice to the head chef, that moment led me to England and my next adventures!
Entirely self-taught, I opened my first restaurant, Les Quat’Saisons, in Oxford in 1977. Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons then followed, earning two Michelin stars. I wanted to bring my vision of affordable hearty French food cooked from scratch to a wider audience and, in 1996, my dream became a reality with the founding of Le Petit Blanc which became Brasserie Blanc. My restaurants became known for being all about relaxed enjoyment and authentic everyday French food, not refined haute cuisine, something we still stand for today.
I have always been deeply passionate about seasonality and sustainability. As a child I remember helping my father tend our garden and foraging in the woods surrounding our village. I was curious to see how our garden changed throughout the seasons and how Maman would make sure nothing went to waste. Using seasonal ingredients in my restaurants means more taste, more texture and more flavour whilst championing some of the very best producers from the UK and France. I am so proud that we hold a three star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, the highest rating possible.
Thirty years on, I still walk into any of my restaurants and feel a sense of pride in what we have created from our talented chefs, many of whom have been with us for years, to our skilled teams who ensure our guests every need are taken care of. We have created something truly magical for everyone so come, join me, and let me take you on a journey through France, it will be a feast for all the senses!
Raymond Blanc and a passion for food are synonymous. We feel privileged to work with him and have all seen first-hand how this passion radiates to every part of our business – from sourcing the best ingredients, to hiring the best chefs and choosing the most beautiful dining venues.
Our favourite Frenchman is bursting with an encyclopaedic knowledge and a love of real food with roots in a childhood that revolved around his Maman, and her kitchen table. Maman Blanc’s table was, by all accounts, not a thing to be trifled with. Meals there dictated the rhythm of the family days, and lives. And it is here that he learned the importance of being true to ingredients, everything in its season.
There is great beauty in honest food, cooked with heart, using kitchen wisdom passed down through the generations. And as Maman Blanc passed her knowledge and love of food to Raymond, so he passes it on to us, his team, to share with our brasserie families, and you, our guests.
One of the world’s most respected chefs, Raymond Blanc is totally self-taught.
His story begins in Besançon, the capital of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France, between Burgundy and the Jura mountains, where Raymond was born. He was inspired by the local terroir, and most of all by his mother, the formidable Maman Blanc who used fresh, local and seasonal produce to create meals for the family; wholesome meals full of goodness and love.
In the summer of 1972, Raymond arrived in England to work as a waiter at the Rose Revived restaurant in Oxfordshire. One day, when the chef was ill, Raymond took over the kitchen. At that very moment, his career was born.
In 1977, Raymond opened his first restaurant, Les Quat’Saisons in Summertown, Oxford. It was an overnight success, winning Egon Ronay Restaurant of the Year, and two prestigious Michelin stars within a couple of years.
It was in 1984, however, that Raymond fulfilled a personal vision, creating a hotel and restaurant in harmony when he opened Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire. Celebrating its 30th birthday this year, Le Manoir combines magnificent surroundings with gastronomic excellence. It is the only UK country house hotel to have retained two Michelin stars for the past 30 years. Le Manoir’s eleven stunning gardens, including the vast kitchen gardens, are the envy of botanists worldwide. “His house is as beautiful as a tale of Lewis Carroll,” observed the acclaimed French food writer Gilles Pudlowski.
Raymond has always felt compelled to share his culinary knowledgeand, in 1991, he established The Raymond Blanc Cookery School. Based within Le Manoir’s kitchens, the school welcomes enthusiastic amateurs and professional cooks, as well as children, providing the opportunity for home cooks to develop their skills in a relaxed and friendly environment.
In 1996, Raymond opened his first Le Petit Blanc brasserie in Oxford. More brasseries followed. The brasseries offer French classics and modern dishes, all made with fresh and seasonal ingredients. Each of the brasseries is a place to relax, and enjoy ‘real French food, close to home’ and at affordable prices.
In 2008, Raymond was awarded an honorary OBE (Order of the British Empire) by Her Majesty the Queen, in recognition of his services in promoting culinary excellence and for raising awareness about the importance of healthy food as a central element of family life. In 2013 he was awarded the insignia of Chevalier in the Ordre national de Légion d’Honneur, the highest French decoration.
Never one to guard his secrets and passion, Raymond has championed and nurtured some of the country’s most respected chefs personally in his kitchens, including such names as Marco Pierre White, Michael Caines, Bruno Loubet, Eric Chavot and Ollie Dabbous. Some 26 of his protégées have gone on to win Michelin stars for themselves. It is no wonder that in 2005 he was voted AA’s Chefs’ Chef of the Year.
Raymond is a best-selling author, and his BBC2 television series have included The Very Hungry Frenchman, Kitchen Secrets and How to Cook Well.
Raymond is the father of two sons, Olivier and Sebastien.