2009 is a stellar year for Raymond Blanc OBE as he celebrates the silver anniversary of Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons - the 15th century manor house, which the Chef Patron has passionately looked after for 25 years, fulfilling a personal vision - to create a hotel and restaurant where each and every guest discovers pure perfection - in food, comfort, service and welcome. The 32-room hotel and restaurant, which since opening in 1984, has achieved the highest awards and accolades of any restaurant and country house hotel in Great Britain is regarded as one of the very best in Europe. The hotel now matches the two Michelin star cuisine and his dream is nearly complete. 

Blanc's edict is simple yet exacting - he believes in excellence - it's as simple as that - and this philosophy has been applied to each and everything Blanc has put his hand to. One of the few restaurants in the world to retain 2 Michelin stars for 25 years, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons remains a Mecca for gourmets the world over. It will come as no surprise then, that he has trained 25 Michelin starred chefs in as many years. 

The team at Le Manoir has always striven to create gastronomy and luxury, which is inclusive rather than exclusive. Many guests visit religiously on an annual basis whilst others fulfill a lifetime wish. Blanc was the first to actively welcome children, and introduced a children's cookery school in 2003 and the restaurant is the only Michelin starred establishment to be MSC accredited.

Blanc has always been fiercely loyal to his staff and leads a dedicated and talented team - who have learnt over the years that nothing is achieved by standing still and only by continuing to evolve - whilst being steadied by one's basic beliefs - can you reach towards true excellence. Blanc is also the first to admit that no one man can know everything and as a result surrounds himself with a loyal and formidable team.  

Over the past 25 years, Blanc has set about convincing the UK and Europe about the importance of ingredients, of dishes - from the very simple to the highly complex. He has also been keen to share his visions and concerns about the global food industry, how sustainable and seasonal need to be more than buzz words but a way of life, and how important it is to continue to teach and learn in a world that is constantly shifting and reshaping. Blanc continues to communicate his passions to adults and children alike, and his energy, enthusiasm and magical qualities have, over the years earned the man himself many accolades, culminating in an honorary OBE in 2008. In addition, he has been an active member of the Soil Association for many years and was one of the first to join the organic movement over a quarter of a century ago.

It is impossible to sum Raymond Blanc up in a few paragraphs. He is a chef, an author, an entertainer, a teacher and a pupil. Issues are never too small or too large for him to be interested in or annoyed by. He is always eager to discover new ways to do things and communicate established ways to reconnect with the world in which we live. His admirers all agree that he has worked tirelessly to bring respectability to the industry but his first and last love is for Le Manoir – which is a symbol of all that is beautiful in life.

Blanc once said that living in the UK for 25 years made him a better Frenchman. One can only dare to imagine how the next 25 years will develop for Blanc and his team.