Raymond Blanc was born in 1949 in Bescançon, France, located in eastern France, between Burgundy and the Jura mountains. He grew up in Saône, a village just east of there. Today he is one of Britain’s most respected chefs, and indeed is acknowledged as one of the finest chefs in the world.
At the age of 28, Raymond Blanc opened his first restaurant, Les Quat’ Saisons, in Summertown, Oxford which quickly won a host of accolades. It was in 1984, however, that he fulfilled a personal vision of “creating a restaurant and hotel in harmony” when he opened Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, a country house hotel and double Michelin starred restaurant, in Great Milton, Oxford. Awarded five AA stars and with a score of 19/20 from respected French guide Gault Millau, Le Manoir describes itself as “one of the ultimate gastronomic destinations in the country.”
In 1991, Le Manoir’s Ecole de Cuisine was established to offer enthusiastic non-professional cooks the opportunity to develop their skills while learning some of the secrets of Raymond Blanc’s kitchen.
Great Chefs caught up with Chef Blanc in May of 1999 and taped him for their “Great Chefs of the World” series. Raymond Blanc has also made numerous appearances on all major television stations, during prime time viewing, in Great Britain. He is the author of several books, including Cooking for Friends and Foolproof French Cookery.