20 Questions With Raymond Blanc

The man who helped teach Britain to cook! Of the thousands of people I've had the good fortune to interview, no one has seemed more passionate about what they do than Raymond Blanc. Here he takes us on the almost magical journey of his career: from having his jaw broken by his boss in France after daring to give him advice on his cooking, via winning two Michelin stars at his restaurant in Oxford, to setting up Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in the Oxfordshire countryside in 1984. Having just handed over the reins as Culinary Director to Arnaud Donckele, Raymond reflects on this massive moment in his life, and looks ahead to a future filled with promise and possibility. Along the way he has some advice for Andy Burnham and reveals what he believes to be the challenges facing Britain, his adopted home. This is a rare chance to glimpse into the soul of one of the greatest chefs in Franco-British history.