Raymond Blanc's guide to Oxfordshire

Arriving in the county aged 22 not having worked a single shift as a chef, Raymond Blanc immediately fell in love with Oxfordshire. The feeling was mutual – and it’s a passion that’s never faded on either side

Were it not quite so perfect, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons would surely be the ideal advert for everything that’s good about Oxfordshire. The sandy-coloured, ivy-clad stones of the 15th-century old manor subtly change hue with the passing of the day, with the well-tended greenery helping it to merge into the pristine landscape. The Norman church that snuggles up alongside only adds to the image of quintessential English countryside. But then what lies beyond gives it a level of perfection that’s hard to match elsewhere in the county: the multi-layered kitchen garden, orchards and ‘secret’ nooks and crannies, and then the small matter of Raymond Blanc’s iconic cuisine.

‘I first came here to Oxford aged 22,’ explains Raymond, ‘and I just fell in love with it: the beautiful villages, cricket on the green, the city with its architecture, history – just wonderful.’

But this is to cut a long story short, which is not something the chef – ever the storyteller – is known for. Before he arrived in Oxfordshire, or even in the world of gastronomy for that matter, an awful lot had to happen. ‘I first was supposed to be an architect,’ he says. ‘It was the time when teachers told you what you should be doing. But I hated squares, rectangles, anything geometric, and mathematics too, so I realised it wasn’t for me.

‘Then I became a nurse at 17,’ he continues. ‘The nurses were Catholic matrons, and they were unyielding and tough, not helped that I was caught a few time with nurses in cupboards!’ he laughs, before turning serious. ‘I was looking after young people with leukemia,’ he says. ‘And I couldn’t deal with it. I’d get close to them, come to love them, and they would die. Sometimes, they’d get told they had a reprieve, but die two weeks later.’

A job in a factory followed – ‘the most dehumanising moment in my life’ – before he found satisfaction in the form of a restaurant, Le Palais de la Bière, in is his home-town of Besançon. The smells, sights and sounds of the culinary world captivated him, although he shouldn’t have been surprised since, he says, ‘My mum was the greatest chef, my grandmother was a well-known cook and my grandfather was an extraordinary farmer – I should have been a chef a long time ago.’

So his passion had been with him all along, and it made him eager to make up for lost time. As he worked his way up from washing dishes to waiting, he’d make suggestions for the food, something not exactly welcomed by his chef. ‘Once, I started to tell him about his sauces – a bit too rich – and he got taller and taller, and I could see his face getting darker and darker,’ explains Raymond. ‘Then he hit me in the face with a copper pan and broke my jaw.’

His face wired up in hospital, the perils of giving advice to chefs hardly needed explaining to the young Raymond, but the owner of the restaurant made it clear he couldn’t return. He did, however, set him up with work in England.

It was after a brief time at Oxford restaurant La Sorbonne that Raymond opened the small but perfectly formed Les Quat’Saisons, which quickly won every accolade going, including Egon Ronay Best Restaurant and two Michelin stars. But it wasn’t enough. ‘I’d wake up in the morning, aching everywhere, and not daring to look in the mirror,’ he begins, telling a story in the only, vivid, way he knows. ‘One day I came down to have a coffee and flicked through Country Life and saw this manor for sale.

‘I drove there that morning, knocked on the door to this beautiful house with yellow sandstone walls, with this grand drive and all these different gardens. I said to the lady who answered, “I am Raymond Blanc and I want to buy this house.” She left me at the door and after a while came back and said, “Of course, I will sell it to you, and the reason is I came to Quat’Saisons, and had the best meal ever.”’

The lady in question was Lady Cromwell, who proceeded to take Raymond around to everyone in the village, introducing him, and asking for their support.

Thirty-eight years, two-Michelin-stars and 18 Brasserie Blancs later, he talks as enthusiastically about Le Manoir, as he did back then. ‘It’s somewhere I am still in awe of every time I walk down the lavender path to the house.’

But it’s not just his own manor he loves. ‘My favourite thing on a Sunday is to head into the city – for lunch at Brasserie Blanc, of course,’ he adds. ‘Oxford is a university with the most extraordinary colleges, every one is a gem with its own story to tell.

Christ Church is probably my favourite, just for the sheer beauty of the architecture. ‘I love a long walk by the Thames,’ he continues. ‘My favourite space is University Parks – it was important to me, as a young chef, somewhere I could let off steam. When you’re working 18 hours a day, and have one day off, you’re knackered, you’re broken, so I’d go there. It’s a place of reflection – you can see the punts passing by, watch the students playing football and rugby. I still go there with my partner and I love to go to the Ashmolean Museum too.’

Other parts of the city were key for more practical reasons. ‘I love the market place,’ says Raymond, giving a nod to Oxford’s famed Covered Market, dating back to 1774 and the work of architect John Gwynn. ‘When I was getting stated with Quat’ Saisons, I’d visit to see my local butcher, and the market is still so beautiful.’

Beyond the city limits, the county is peppered with blink-and-you-miss-it sand-stoned villages, each a small tangle of narrow roads and bursting with character, ivy and wisteria helping to shape the perfectly flawed facades. Like many, Blanc has his favourites. ‘The town I love is Burford – such character,’ he says. ‘Otherwise it’s my village, Great Milton. We’re very much part of the community, supportive of the pubs and schools and we make sure we play an active part in the village. I especially love St Mary’s Church – we have all our Christmas concerts there and it has the best acoustics; it dates back to Norman times.

‘Bear in mind I’m a French republican,’ he continues, ‘and I realized we [Le Manoir] had a door that had direct access into the church, so I had it closed permanently. Then, the first day I went to the church, we were escorted to these two beautiful pews that were owned by the lord and lady of the manor – it was so embarrassing. We had to sell them for charity...’

Such is Raymond’s passion for his adopted county, his recommended places to visit are plentiful. ‘There’s nearby Waddesdon Manor, a National Trust property,’ he says. ‘It’s home to some wonderful art and, of course, the most amazing wines. The gardens are lovely to explore – my favourite time is when autumn arrive and the colours of the trees change.

‘Blenheim Palace is another favourite – the grounds are beautiful and the history of the house is incredible,’ he continues. ‘And I love The Swan at Tetsworth – a thriving auction room and antiques centre where, over the years, we’ve purchased some wonderful pieces – mirrors, frames – it’s somewhere to visit if you are looking for treasure.’

Naturally, the culinary bar has risen considerably in the 45 years he’s been here, without doubt in part to his own work. ‘It’s a rich county – you can go anywhere, to any pub, and have food that is exciting and fresh. The food scene here is absolutely unbelievable now; everyone is so much more aware of seasonality, and that’s reflected in the restaurants and pubs. There’s The Blackhorse Thame; The Nut Tree Inn, Murcott; The Back Lane Tavern in Woodstock; The Mole Inn, Oxford; La Table D’Alix at The Plough in Great Haseley; and El Rincon Summertown – a lovely Spanish bar with tapas and a great atmosphere. There’s just so, so, so many places. We are very spoilt in Oxfordshire.’

Raymond's Hotspots

Old Parsonage Hotel, Oxford
A beautiful 17th-century hotel, the Old Parsonage is in the heart of my home town and is one of my favourite places to go for breakfast. They do the old favourites; full English, kippers, eggs any way. I love my coffee and eggs, reading the paper and getting ready for the day.

The Nut Tree Inn, Murcott
A Michelin-starred restaurant using fresh, local ingredients, in a lovely building. It has a very good chef in Mike North, who I named the best chef at an awards recently.

Gees Restaurant, Oxford
Just recently refurbished, it’s in a wonderful Grade II listed Victorian conservatory building and is a great neighbourhood eatery. The food is fresh and simple – delicious, seasonal, Mediterranean – and the menu is always changing. You get interesting vegetarian dishes, fresh fish and fabulous little pizzettas from the wood-burning oven topped with spinach and egg, or wild mushrooms and rosemary.

Branca, Oxford
A really lovely place to pop in for a bite to eat but also a great deli. The bread here is truly amazing.

The Oxford Wine Café, Oxford
Lots of tasty little tapas and a fantastic wine list – it’s a favourite to meet my friends.

Words by Alex Mead.

This interview was taken from the October 2022 issue of Food and Travel Magazine. To subscribe today, click here.