Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman (2012)

RAYMOND BLANC is Britain’s most famous French chef, yet he has never cooked professionally in France. In The Very Hungry Frenchman, Raymond finally gets the opportunity to show us the country he loves so much and the French recipes that inspired him. In each episode Raymond will explore the distinctive produce and cuisine of a different region of France, before cooking a menu of traditional dishes for one night only. He will source the freshest ingredients from the people that know them best, show us how to make the dishes, and then together with his young British protégés, put them on the table in a local restaurant.

Episode 1: Franche Comte (2 Feb 2012)
In the first episode Raymond Blanc returns to his home region of Franche Comte in north east France to visit the people who inspired him, including his 89-year-old Maman Blanc, who instilled in him a love of cooking from a very early age. He then prepares a feast inspired by the distinctive produce and cuisine of that region and cooks professionally for the first time ever in France. It's an emotional and challenging journey for Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman.

Episode 2: Burgundy (9 Feb 2012)
Raymond goes to Burgundy, an unmissable destination for fine food and wine lovers, where he picks the best grapes, eats 3 Michelin star snails, and is tempted back to the simple life of a rustic farmhouse where he cooks a feast made up of his versions of Burgundy's favourite dishes.

Episode 3: Lyon (16 Feb 2012)
Raymond loosens his belt to fill his belly with the hearty food of the gastronomic city of Lyon. He visits France's most famous chef, samples chicken and chocolate made for presidents, and cooks a feast for some of France's most vociferous food critics

Episode 4: Alsace (23 Feb 2012)
Raymond heads to the German border and the picturesque region of Alsace, where he will cook for the locals, who are known for their hospitality and hearty appetites. From the best wine makers to jam makers, Raymond scours the region for its finest ingredients to impress his Alsatian guests.

Episode 5: Provence (1 Mar 2012)
In this episode, Raymond heads to sun-soaked Provence, where he stages perhaps the most ambitious feast of the series. The local food and cuisine were a revelation to Raymond as a young boy, and remain a huge influence on his cooking today.