A noble example of a classic English country home stands tucked away in the tiny village of Great Milton, England. Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons (The Manor of the Four Seasons) is the United Kingdom’s only country-
house hotel to consistently achieve two Michelin stars. Savvy travelers journey southeast of Oxford to enjoy gorgeously appointed rooms, breathtaking gardens, the pleasurable English summer weather, and the grand cuisine of owner/chef Raymond Blanc. For equally savvy food-lovers, all this is secondary to the experience of attending the Raymond Blanc Cookery School, established at Le Manoir in 1991. Here, in a kitchen recently refurbished with the latest appliances and handsome bespoke cabinetry, intimate classes combine classic French cooking techniques with the best of English and French seasonal ingredients. Often, there’s a healthy dose of nutrition along with a little cooking science thrown in for good measure.

Written by Stephen Exel

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