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 Raymond
Blanc - "The good does not interest us, the sublime does"
Born in
Besançon,
France in 1949, Raymond Blanc is acknowledged as one of the
finest chefs in the world. His exquisite cooking has received
tributes from every national and international guide to
culinary excellence. He arrived in England in 1972 to work as
a waiter at the Rose Revived Restaurant near
Witney. When the chef became ill,
he took over and two years later, the restaurant gained entry
into the Michelin Guide. At the age of 28, Raymond Blanc
opened his first restaurant, 'Les Quat'
Saisons' in Summertown, Oxford.
After just one year, the
restaurant was named Egon
Ronay Restaurant of the Year and a
host of other accolades including Michelin Stars and Pestle &
Mortar awards followed.
It was in 1984, however, that
he fulfilled a personal vision,
creating
an hotel and restaurant in harmony
when he opened Le Manoir aux
Quat' Saisons
in Great Milton, Oxford. Le Manoir
is the only country house hotel in the UK which has achieved
two Michelin Stars for a total of 16 years and sustained the
Relais and Chateaux Purple Shield.
"His house is as beautiful as a tale of Lewis Carroll"
commented Gilles Pudlowski.
In 1991, RB established L'
Ecole de Cuisine at Le
Manoir, welcoming both
enthusiastic amateures and the
professional cook to the kitchen. Creating
the opportunity for them to develop their skills whilst
learning some of the secrets of his kitchen.
L'Ecole is very much part of the
excellence of Le Manoir.
In 1996, the first Le Petit
Blanc brasserie opened in Oxford. RB's
aim was to be the best within the brasserie scene in England -
serving good quality, freshly prepared food at a price that
was accessible and represented excellent value. Subsequently,
a second Le Petit Blanc opened in Cheltenham in February 1998,
and a third opened in Birmingham September 1999. The fourth
brasserie opened in Manchester in November 2000. They are the
only brasseries in the United Kingdom that have achieved the
Michelin Bib Gourmand.
 Over
the past few years, RB has written a selection of bestsellers,
including 'Cooking For Friends', 'A
Blanc Christmas', the Sunday Verdana bestseller 'Recipes from Le
Manoir aux
Quat' Saisons' and his most
recent book titled 'Blanc Vite'.
In 1998 Raymond Blanc worked
alongside top interior designer Emily
Todhunter completing a major development project at Le
Manoir. Together, their visions
and creativity prepared the 15th Century Manor House Hotel for
the demands and expectations of the new Millennium. Sir
Terence Conran commented that
"Raymond Blanc has transformed his Manoir
aux Quat'
Saisons into a hymn of contemporary style. Gone are the
heavy chintzes, billowing swags and over-gilded ornamentation
and in their place is light and comfortable modernity".
Raymond Blanc comments "It is
through the dedication and commitment of the whole team at Le
Manoir that we strive to meet the
guests demand in every way. We aim to touch excellence in all
we do here, whoever we are and whatever our role".
It was a huge
honour and music to
RB's ears when Le
Manoir was voted the 'UK
Restaurant the industry would most like to visit'. Fellow
professionals recognised his
outstanding contribution and commitment by voting him 'Most
respected person in the industry' in a lifestyle survey
conducted by specialist industry publication Caterer &
Hotelkeeper (December 1999).
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