THE RAYMOND BLANC SCHOOL

MORE ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, A Belmond Hotel, a restaurant and hotel situated in the Oxfordshire village of Great Milton, is renowned as one of the UK's leading gastronomic destinations. The restaurant, run by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc, opened in 1984, was awarded two Michelin stars in its first year, and has held onto these every year since. The hotel restaurant has received a plethora of accolades throughout the years and in the restaurant's recent history it has been awarded ‘Sustainable Hotel Restaurant of the Year 2014’ and named Square Meal's ‘Best UK Restaurant of 2013’. An established household name and one of the most respected chefs in the UK, Raymond Blanc has graced our television screens with shows such as "Kew on a Plate", "How to Cook Well" and "Kitchen Secrets." In 1991, the celebrity chef opened The Raymond Blanc Cookery School. Uniquely, it is the only cookery school in the world situated on the same site as a Michelin two-star restaurant. The school welcomes enthusiastic novices and professional cooks alike. Head tutor Mark Peregrine, who was Blanc's very first apprentice, brings over 30 years of experience to his classes. His and Blanc's philosophy is to ensure all guests learn “in a fun and interesting way.” The school's half-day courses are primarily observational, allowing guests to cast a keen eye over Mark Peregrine's in-depth and highly informative demonstrations. The invaluable techniques learned will then be put into practice in a short hands-on practical, creating one dish under instruction. For a supplement, upgrades are available for the school's full-day courses. The full-day course is more dedicated to hands-on tuition, allowing guests to develop their culinary skills and food knowledge and learn new techniques in an interactive environment. Guests for the full-day course also enjoy an informal lunch, morning and afternoon teas and have the added pleasure of taking home a souvenir chefs jacket as a memento of their day. Choose your preferred course from a range of options. Favourites for the half-day course include: ‘Let’s Cook!’, which provides an inspired lesson in creating a seasonal three-course dinner, and ‘Canapés’, which gets creative with dinner party staples. Favourites for the full-day course include: 'Patisserie & Desserts', which tackles the devilish soufflé, chocolate Marquise, ice cream and sorbet, and 'Tastes & Textures From Afar', teaching participants of the ingredients and techniques used in Japanese, Indian and Thai cooking.

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