There’s something innately annoying about the majority of the UK’s popular TV chef’s, but in Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets, I’ve finally found one that I can stand (nearly wrote stomach then instead of stand, but I managed to fight the temptation to be annoying. Oliver, Ramsey!). The second series started a few weeks back and it’s on Monday nights at 8:30pm on BBC 2.
With brilliant French charm and a love of food, Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets makes cooking look easy and fun. Coupled with the fact that Blanc seems a little vino’d up every second he’s on camera and you’ve got the makings of the best cooking programme on the telly right now.
In the episode I watched the other day he flung together a stunning lemon tea cake with lemon glaze, a big batch of perfect chocolate eclairs and for his piece de resistance a towering Piece Montee Croquembouche, a cross between profiteroles, the Eiffel Tower and comedically the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Everything is cooked up with a wry, slightly pizzed Gallic smile making Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets tres witty at times. It’s easy to follow the recipes and it’s all delivered with an infectiously joy of cooking. In the episodes either side of the Cakes and Pastries episode I saw there are Shellfish and Lamb episodes. By far the most impressive thing about Raymond Blanc, though, is that he is entirely self taught, but he can still whip up a mean macaroon and his restaurant in Oxford, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, has 2 Michelin star. Kiss his face Jamie.
Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets review – 4.5/5
