Iconic French chef recalls singing with Queen Mother
HE is renowned for bringing the flavours of France to Britain, his home for nearly 50 years.
Now celebrity chef Raymond Blanc has revealed one of his proudest moments – singing the French national anthem with the Queen Mother at his renowned restaurant.
The Michelin-starred chef, now 72, first arrived in the country back in 1972 after being fired from a restaurant in France for “upsetting” the head chef.
Raymond, awarded an honorary OBE in 2008, opened his famous Le Manoir aux Quat’saisons, in Oxford, five years later, training top chefs such as Marco Pierrewhite, and going on to become a regular face on our TV screens.
Asked about his proudest achievements, he said: “I have had some very proud moments, including singing La Marseillaise with the wonderful Queen
Mother here at Le Manoir aux Quat’saisons.
“I also invited the Prince of Wales to visit when we finished our Heritage Garden – that was a very special day.
“But I think receiving the Légion d’honneur in 2013 was one of the proudest achievements.”
Raymond, currently hosting the second series of his show Simply Raymond Blanc, on ITV every Saturday, added: “I am always grateful for what life has given to me and the many experiences I have enjoyed.
“Ultimately, it is rewarding to share knowledge because I like the idea of people sitting down at a table with their loved ones to share, to laugh and to celebrate life.”the Frenchman worked with the late Prince Philip’s Duke of Edinburgh Award, encouraging young people to cook.
He said: “It was a pleasure welcoming students to my cookery school. Cooking is a crucial life skill and just as important as other elements of the award.through food, children can learn about nutrition, budgeting, sustainability, biodiversity, seasonality and more.”
Raymond said that many dishes in the new show help him pay tribute to his mother, who died during the pandemic.
He said: “I have a soft spot for those recipes which take me right back to my childhood. My mum passed away in the early summer of 2020. At that time, and when possible, I was filming the first series and writing my book, Simply Raymond. My mum was 97 but, still, her death was a monumental blow.
“She was a huge inspiration and without her I would not have succeeded as a chef. Her values formed the foundations of my cooking and my career.
“During this pandemic I have cooked lots of dishes which reminded me of her.
“Food connects to all parts of our lives and, among other things, it unites us.
“So this series features some dishes which evoke the memories of my beloved Maman Blanc cooking at home in Franchecomté, where I grew up.
“I am thinking, for instance, of tartiflette, a wholesome dish of potatoes, cream, bacon, onion and cheese – comfort food at its most comforting.”
Simply Raymond Blanc, ITV, Saturdays, 11.40am
‘Food connects ...and unites us’