Raymond Blanc is a completely self-taught chef, inspired by his mother (fondly referred to as Maman Blanc). Raymond grew up in Besançon, near Dijon. He arrived in England in 1972 and became a waiter at the Rose Revived in Newbridge, Oxford. When the chef fell ill, Raymond took over, and in 1975, he was promoted to chef. He then worked all hours to save for his own restaurant; he opened Les Quat' Saisons in Oxford in 1977 and soon won a host of distinctions.
Raymond and his wife Jenny then opened a patisserie and bakery in Oxford, called Maison Blanc. In 1984, they r...