I’d like to celebrate this year’s British Food Fortnight (September 18 – October 3), by waxing lyrical about a French chef who has probably done more to promote local British ingredients than anyone.

I’m talking about Oxfordshire’s self-taught, Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc who established Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, and who, over the years has worked tirelessly to promote fresh, seasonal local produce. Although he was self-taught, this remarkable chef has trained up more than 20 chefs to Michelin star level, having first convinced them that taste is all important and that you can only create delicious tastes from fresh seasonal ingredients. The ambience in which food is served is important to him too.

Raymond’s dedication to British food has now been recognised by The Good Food Guide which is celebrating its 60th anniversary by honouring him for his long-standing dedication in running one of Britain’s best restaurants. This Lifetime Achievement award is the first the Guide has ever given and is certainly well deserved as Raymond has appeared in 32 editions of the Guide, having first appeared in the 1978 edition when he was chef/patron of Les Quat’ Saisons, in Summertown.

This is not the only award he has received for a lifetime of culinary achievements. In 2009, which was the year of Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons 25th anniversary, he was also honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award at the glittering Tatler Restaurant Awards. The previous year he was awarded a OBE for his outstanding job in promoting culinary excellence not only to the British public, but to Britain itself.

So — what has pushed this talented French chef to embrace British ingredients and make them his own?

Has he let go of his French heritage? He says no, still insisting he is 100 per cent French and 20 per cent English.

Speaking to him last month, while attending a party to celebrate the retirement of Alain Desenclos, his friend and restaurant director of Le Manoir, Raymond said: “I have always striven to ensure that I offer the very best, it is the only thing I can do. Even now, in the current economic gloom, I know that there will always be a place for excellence in everyone’s heart. Excellence begins with quality seasonal ingredients, get those right and everything else falls into place.”

Alain Desenclos, or Monsieur Alain, as everyone knows him, was actually Raymond’s first boss when he started work at La Sorbonne. He joined Raymond at Les Quat’ Saisons, Summertown, as restaurant manager, where his support helped Raymond gain Egon Ronay’s restaurant of the year award. Michelin stars and a host of other awards followed.

Naturally, Raymond appointed him restaurant director when he opened Le Manoir in 1984. My friend Corin Willett, proprietor of the Emporium, Eynsham, joined me at this retirement party, which took place on one of the wettest days of the year. “Shall I wear a raincoat?” she had asked. I told her not to bother, explaining that one of the joys of visiting Le Manoir is the fact you can stop worrying about a downpour of rain, as everything is organised to make you feel comfortable from the moment you remove your car key from the ignition. Taking me at my word Corin left her raincoat at home. I had assured her, umbrellas would miraculously appear the instant we arrived – and they did. They were removed just as efficiently when we had no more need of them. Mime artists with white painted faces then beckoned us inside and within seconds of our arrival we were both holding a glass of chilled champagne and nibbling on mouth-watering canapés, the like of which you only taste at Le Manoir.

As we moved among the other guests, more and more canapés arrived, and more champagne was offered and we both found ourselves relaxing in an atmosphere conducive with pleasure.

“It’s not just the food is it?” remarked Corin, who went on to speak of Raymond’s inspirational enthusiasm, his continual striving for excellence and the way everything comes together when he stages a party. Other guests agreed. This conversation reminded me of Raymond’s comments in his latest book A Taste of My Life (Bantam Press, £20), in which he writes that Le Manoir is about millions of tiny, seemingly insignificant details such as the angle of a light on a carefully chosen painting, and the texture or colour of a cloth draping a table.

You might ask what such details have to do with British Food Fortnight. The answer is simple — it has taken a Frenchman to recognise the way food interacts with its environment. It has also taken a Frenchman’s passion for seasonal fruit and vegetables to inspire us to go for British produce whenever possible.

Raymond insists that eating should not be just a matter of shovelling fuel into our body, which is why, at the end of the party, we all raised our glasses to a Frenchman who has taught us to appreciate the food produced by Oxfordshire farmers.