A native of Besançon, France, Chef Raymond Blanc ("R.B." to his well-trained and enthusiastic staff of tutors) is teacher, landowner, and innkeeper. "For me, the kitchen is the hub of Le Manoir," he says. "The aim of the school is to help students understand the thought processes and techniques that will give them knowledge and confidence in their own kitchens and enable them to recognize that cooking is fun."

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