b'Boastingsomeofthefinestgardensinsentbacktothesupplier;allfatsandoilsAndsevenyearslater,hetransformedthe Oxfordshire, the outdoor spaces add anotherarerecycled;biodegradableconfetti;coffeenearby honey-coloured 15th century Chiltern dimensiontoaguestsculinaryadventure,grounds are recycled and used for compostmanor house into Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons.says the website. and in the mushroom container. After 32 years growing his business, Raymond, The 100 per cent organic vegetable gardenLeManoirsguestsbenefitfromRaymonds66, shows no sign of slowing down.supplies 90 types of fresh salads and vegetablesvision,hisexcitement,hispassionallofHes as excited now as he was then about his totherestaurant.Theseincludevegetableswhich had a rather unusual origin. vision to provide guests with more than just a indigenous to Southeast Asia to achieve BlancsfinediningexperienceinanEnglish distinct, exotic flavours. LE MANOIR AUX QUAT SAISONS IScountry hotel.Some800appleandpeartreesLe Manoir aux Quat Saisons is the have recently been planted, fulfillingTHE FULFILLMENT OF A PERSONAL Blancs desire to have orchards full offulfillmentofapersonalvision,a VISION, A DREAM THAT ONEdream that one day I would create unusual British species of fruit. DAY I WOULD CREATE A HOTELahotelandrestaurantinharmony Mushroom Valley, however, has beenwheremyguestswouldfind created to acquire knowledge aboutAND RESTAURANT IN HARMONYperfection in food, comfort, service mushroompropagation,ratherthanWHERE MY GUESTS WOULD FINDand welcome, he says.to supply the restaurant. PERFECTION IN FOOD, COMFORT,Having my 220 employees own this Continuingwiththeeducationalvision with me is how we touch the theme, The Raymond Blanc CookerySERVICE AND WELCOME souls of our guests.School, situated at the heart of LeIn2002OrientExpress(now Manoir, is for everyone who has a passion forI hated studying to be a draughtsman, which isBelmond), operators of an international chain food and wishes to have fun preparing it. what my parents wanted me to be, he explains. of luxury trains, cruises and hotels, bought a Instructors include Le Manoirs Chef PatissierThen one day when I went into a restaurant inmajority interest in Le Manoir.Benoit Blin, also a TV personality, whose passionBesancon where I grew up (near the French-SwissBut Blanc is still le patron et chef, with spills over and fills the cooking school kitchen. border), I found that was my passion and talent. the highest national honours bestowed on RecentlyaddedcoursesincludeWellbeing,As a busboy I used to smell the glasses andhim by both England (Order of the British Gluten Free and Afternoon Tea. taste the sauces in the serving dishes when IEmpire) and France (Chevalier in the Ordre As a member of the Sustainable Restauranttook them back to the kitchen. de Legion dHonneur).AssociationandtheConsiderateHotelierHe also used to tell the chef when the food wasFrom fine dining in all its forms to the hotels Association, Le Manoir is also at the forefronttoo salty, or too sweet. hospitality,Raymondspassionatevision of eco-friendly initiatives. Onedayhegotsoangryhethrewacontinues to grow. His dreams continue to come Ihavealwayspioneeredsustainableandcoffeepotatme,andIendedupintrue, and his guests continue to find perfection environmental issues, says Raymond Blanc,hospital, says Raymond. in food, comfort, service and welcome.From the moment we opened in 1984, it hasThe owner came to see me and said you cantMike Grenby teaches travel writing, journalism remained one of our core values. work for me any more, but he helped me find aand public speaking at Bond University. He has A12-pageeco-booklethighlightssomeofjob as a waiter at a restaurant in England. been writing travel articles and taking travel these initiatives: a soap-bag for guests to takephotos since he was 24.home the leftover soaps; wine boxes are cutEventually, at age 28 and with $25,000, RaymondFor more informationa about Le Manoir visitupandusedforkindling;coathangersareand his wife opened a 35-seat restaurant on thewww.belmond.com/le-manoir-aux-quat-wrong side of the tracks in Oxford. saisons-oxfordshire24AUTUMN2019'