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Alternate and SMALLER version to already shared material:Original torrents: Blanc OBE (born 19 November 1949) is a French chef, born in Besançon, France. Today he is one of the Britain’s most respected chefs[citation needed]. Blanc is the owner and chef at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, a hotel-restaurant in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England. The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scored 9/10 in the Good Food Guide. He is entirely self-taught.Blanc was born in Besançon, the capital of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France, between Burgundy and the Jura mountains. While his two sisters were taught to cook by the influential Maman Blanc, his father taught Blanc and his two brothers to work in the kitchen garden. His father gave him a calendar and foraging map for his 10th birthday, and what he collected his mother taught him to cook.CareerTraining as a waiter, he worked at the Michelin-starred Le Palais de la Bière in Besançon. Fired in 1972 for upsetting the head chef (Blanc offered him advice on how to cook), the manager knew of a job in England.[2] Not speaking English well enough to survive without a notepad, he was dispatched to The Rose Revived in Newbridge, Oxfordshire, arriving three days after arriving in Dover in his Renault 5 Gordini. Blanc married the owner’s daughter Jenny, and the couple had two sons.[2] In 1977 the couple opened Les Quat’Saisons in Summertown, Oxford: “we mortgaged the house, owed 18 further people, and opened in a corridor between a lingerie shop and Oxfam.” An overnight success, he won “Egon Ronay Restaurant of the Year”, two Michelin stars and a host of other distinctions.[2] In 1981, Blanc opened a chain of boulangeries and pâtisseries called Maison Blanc that also contain cafès. There are currently 15 branches of Maison Blanc across the country, including several in London and one in Oxford. Maison Blanc cakes are now available nationwide in Waitrose.[3] Blanc opened the first of a chain of smaller restaurants, Le Petit Blanc restaurants in Oxford in June 1996. Blanc’s stated aim with these was to bring the French philosophy of “good food being central to good living” to the United Kingdom. His desire was to create and serve food that can be enjoyed by everyone – “from the time-conscious business person to those looking for a welcoming family restaurant”. Raymond was a featured chef on Great Chefs television, appearing in Great Chefs of the World.Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets (Season 1)The renowned French chef will be focusing on a different ingredient each week for eight weeks and promises to stick to simple cooking rather than ‘time-consuming chemistry’. So, is this a dig at fellow Michelin-starred chef and culinary wizard Heston Blumenthal? Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets (1 of 8) – Chocolate(BBC2, 8:30pm Monday 15th February, 2010. Duration 29Mins.)* NB – Last 60 seconds missing due to late program start*New series. In the lively surroundings of his Oxfordshire restaurant kitchen, chef Raymond Blanc shares recipes for cooks of all abilities. He begins by preparing four chocolate-based dishes – a fondant with a melting middle, a simple mousse, a rich delice, and a chocolate cup filled with mousse and coffee sabayon. He also visits the Richmond test kitchen of patissier William Curley.Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets (2 of 8) – Fish(BBC2, 8:30pm Monday 22nd February, 2010. Duration 29Mins.)The chef turns his attention to fish, demonstrating how underused and affordable mackerel can form a light lunch or supper with the addition of a soy lime dressing, giving pollock a French twist with sauce Grenobloise, and preparing a dinner party centrepiece of braised turbot with scallops. He also visits Rye in East Sussex, where he joins a fishing boat on a trip into the English Channel.Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets (3 of 8) – Apples(BBC2, 6:30pm Tuesday 23rd February, 2010. Duration 29Mins.)The chef turns his attention to apples, preparing a simple tart made with a foolproof pastry and custard filling. He also gives the fruit a savoury twist with a lemon verbena and olive oil marinade to accompany a confit of fresh salmon, and produces a souffle served with a sabayon and sorbet. Plus, a visit to Kent, where Raymond gets tips on planting an orchard from expert William Sibley.Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets (4 of 8) – Winter Vegetables(BBC2, 8:30pm Monday 15th March, 2010. Duration 28Mins.)The chef focuses on winter vegetables, preparing steamed beetroot with balsamic dressing, smoked salmon and horseradish creme fraiche. He also makes a celeriac puree served with roast wild duck, and a salad featuring pumpkin, wild mushrooms and a red wine reduction. Plus, Raymond tries his hand at cutting watercress in Alresford, Hampshire.Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets (5 of 8) – Game And Mushrooms(BBC2, 8:30pm Monday 22nd March, 2010. Duration 28Mins.)The chef makes dishes using game and mushrooms, starting with a delicate cep tortellini and following it up with a French pasty known as a pithivier, filled with pheasant, chestnuts and dried fruits. Raymond then rustles up a simple fricassee of wild mushrooms with herbs and croutons and finishes the demonstration with a salt-crust baked pigeon. He and restaurant maintenance manager Steve Truman also visit Scotland to join a shoot in Perthshire and pick fungi.Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets (6 of 8) – Bread(BBC2, 8:30pm Monday 29th March, 2010. Duration 28Mins.)The chef turns his attention to bread and yeast, beginning by making the French classic brioche and using it as a base for a celebratory gateau filled with lemon creme fraiche. Raymond then prepares beer-topped rolls, a basket-shaped loaf, and olive and tomato fougasse, before rustling up a dessert of apple croustade. He also visits Shipton Mill in Gloucestershire to experiment with gluten-free flour.Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets (7 of 8) – Eggs And Cheese(BBC2, 8:30pm Monday 5th April, 2010. Duration 28Mins.)Legendary chef Raymond Blanc welcomes the cameras into his kitchen to share his cooking secrets. Filmed in the lively surroundings of his Oxfordshire restaurant kitchen, this programme features a range of achievable and inspirational recipes for cooks of all abilities.Raymond uses two staple ingredients with infinite uses – eggs and cheese. He kicks off with a classic omelette made perfectly thanks to a secret technique.The perfect sabayon is key to any cooks repertoire and this version makes a frozen parfait before Raymond returns home for a Maman Blanc classic, Floating Islands, clouds of meringue sitting atop a vanilla cream and covered with a chewy caramel sauce.Raymond’s next recipe requires the best of cheeses and he is brought a selection by award winning cheesemonger Patricia Michelson. A fine Comte from his home region in eastern France goes to making a family style souffle guaranteed to rise to the occasion.For his finale a greengage casoulette is made from praline and topped with meringue and sabayon. Along the way, Raymond visits his old friend Eric Charriaux at his London fromagerie where they each choose their perfect cheese boards to enjoy at the end of a meal.Raymond Blanc Kitchen Secrets (8 of 8) – Tomatoes(BBC2, 8:30pm Monday 12th April, 2010. Duration 28Mins.)Legendary chef Raymond Blanc welcomes the cameras into his kitchen to share his cooking secrets. Filmed in the lively surroundings of his Oxfordshire restaurant kitchen, this programme features a range of achievable and inspirational recipes for cooks of all abilities.Tonight Raymond turns his attention to tomatoes, beginning with a simple recipe for a salad inspired by his mother. He also stuffs the fruit and glazes it with cheese, and prepares dishes including risotto, ices and sorbets. Along the way, Raymond visits Preston to learn about hydroponically grown tomatoes. Last in the series.Audio:Mp3Video codec: DivXDuration: about 28 min eachSeason 2S2 E1Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets: ShellfishFeb 21, 2011ShellfishIn this episode Raymond shares his love of seafood, celebrating the best of British shellfish. To begin, a French favourite using a very British…S2 E2Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Cakes and PastriesFeb 28, 2011Cakes and PastriesIn this episode Raymond pays tribute to the sweetly satisfying extravagance of cakes and pastries. To kick off, a feather-light lemon tea cake,…S2 E3Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets LambMar 7, 2011LambIn this episode Raymond shares his favourite mouth-watering lamb dishes. To start, succulent lamb’s liver with caramelised potatoes and a dusting of…S2 E4Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets PuddingMar 14, 2011PuddingThis episode is a treat for the taste buds as Raymond celebrates his passion for puddings, sweet and savoury. To kick off there is a French childhood…S2 E5Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets CharcuterieMar 21, 2011CharcuterieCelebrated chef Raymond Blanc invites the cameras into his kitchen to share his treasured cooking secrets. Filmed in the lively surroundings of his…S2 E6Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Spices and ChilliesMar 28, 2011Spices and ChilliesCelebrated chef Raymond Blanc invites the cameras into his kitchen to share his treasured cooking secrets. Filmed in the lively surroundings of his…S2 E7Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Summer FruitsApr 18, 2011Summer FruitsS2 E8Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets Summer GreensApr 18, 2011Summer GreensChef Raymond celebrates the freshest summer greens. Beginning with a simple yet vibrant pistou soup, laden with summer vegetables and bursting with…Audio: mp3VideoivXDuration: about 29 min each