What's Cookin'?

It’s dangerous keeping Raymond Blanc out of the kitchen.

He’s like a cat on a hot tin roof...... with a broken leg. Remember that dramatic fall down the stairs that had him hospitalised?

Well he’s still in plaster which means he can’t cook – a fate worse than death for the world famous chef.

But instead of moping around feeling sorry for himself, Raymond is using the time to sort out his ever expanding empire – call it professional spring cleaning. Which is why we’re meeting at Maison Blanc, his patisserie chain, which now has 14 stores nationwide, three in Oxfordshire alone – St Giles, Burford and Henley. And if you’ve tasted the selection of cakes and breads on offer, you’ll know why they’re so popular.

But never one to rest on his laurels, Raymond has upped the game. He’s changed the menu, opened Maison Blanc in Oxford as a café serving light lunches and early suppers, is currently experimenting with a sour dough bread that will soon be on sale there and concocting a seasonal selection of breads.

The 60-year-old has also just been commissioned for another series of the highly successful TV show Kitchen Secrets and an accompanying book.

So the question’s got to be how is he going to keep all these plates spinning without them smashing at his feet. Let’s look at RB’s current stable – TV wise there’s also The Restaurant, and restaurant wise the Blanc Brasseries and his baby Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons.

There are also endless individual projects, awards, charity dos, appearances and dinners to attend and be seen at.

“I love challenges and its all very exciting. I still enjoy it; from making a new dish to planning the menus. When I stop loving it I’ll stop. But yes there is more pepper in my beard now,” he laughs, “and I am learning a new virtue – patience – and using my time to redirect the economics.”

So what’s it’s like not being in the kitchen?

“Sometimes it’s excruciating,” he concedes, “but my surgeon warned me not to muti-task so I am taking him seriously because he knows me too well.

“But it’s also good to reorganise and bring everything together. And I have a huge input into Maison Blanc,” he says in all seriousness.

“I bring authenticity and Frenchness to the product, so I oversee everything. And because it’s my name on the door, it’s personal.”

And what about his spare time? “Well I’m developing the sour dough bread at the moment and it can take up to six months to get the right flavour and texture. It’s about the details, the authenticity and training and more training. We still have some way to go,” he admits, “but a lot has already been done in the past six months.

“We have cut down the range to concentrate on the remaining products. There was too much choice and we were trying to please everyone while pleasing no one. It may take 25 years to build a reputation but you can lose it very quickly,” he says with a wry smile.

“In fact I’ll tell you something no one else knows, my fiancée Natalia is running the Burford shop which we are currently redesigning.

“And yes it does help that she’s so gorgeous,” he laughs, his eyes lighting up. “She’s finishing her masters in dietics and helping out for a few months, but it’s things like that which make the business personal.”

No, I didn’t mean his work, I meant his spare time?

“Oh”, he says, trying to remember what that is. “Well as an older man I’m pushing myself to be better at delegating. I’ve got 20 articles in my bag to read in case I get some spare time because I have a constant curiosity and that’s how I like it. But I’m also accepting that I don’t know everything,” he smiles contentedly.