Lyon Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman

Raymond Blanc arrived in Britain in 1972

as a 22-year-old unemployed French waiter, with only a shaky grasp of English.

Ten years later, he was a chef with two Michelin stars,

which he still holds today.

Good texture. Lovely, lovely.

While he has been successful in his adopted home,

he has never forgotten his first love.

Food, food, glorious food!

The food and wine of France.

Beautiful.

Now, Raymond is back to his favourite French regions

so that he can reconnect with the wonderful food and people that have inspired him.

Oh, voila.

Ooh!

The flavour is intense. Just...melting.

In each region, he will take over a restaurant for one night only,

and cook a feast inspired by his journey.

Beautiful.

He will be serving a menu that features his version of famous local dishes.

Helping the master in his homeland

will be two lucky young chefs from his restaurant in Oxfordshire.

Kush and Katie-Beth.

Despite 30 years at the top in the UK,

this will be the first time Raymond has had a chance to be chef in France.

I've never cooked in France, and I'm slightly, slightly anxious.

Stop, stop, stop.

It's a daunting, nerve-racking and exciting task,

but one perfectly suited to Raymond Blanc.

Many of us know a Cotes Du Rhone can be a great French tipple,

and that the Alps are somewhere in Eastern France.

However, when you combine the two thoughts,

you have the mighty French region Rhone-Alpes.

And at its heart is Lyon,

capital of the region and gastronomic metropolis.

Lyon is a city that punches above its gourmet weight.

For Raymond, it would be unthinkable not to come here.

This is a place that has influenced him hugely.

And is a top destination for any serious food lover.

Here is the whole belly of France. This place has been devoted to food.

Very few cities in the world can match the amount of food eaten here, and enjoyed.

When you're in the region of Rhone-Alpes, in search of great food,

Lyon represents the altar from which to pray and eat.

Lyon is one of these great, wonderful French cities,

and in here, my God, there are so many mighty, wonderful places to eat.

So many of them! And sometimes, not very expensive.

Over the next few days,

Raymond's culinary skills will be stretched to the limit.

He will be hosting a feast for some of Lyon's finest diners.

Tres bien.

Featuring a menu inspired by his journey through Lyon.

All the smell of Lyon. Fantastic. Beautiful.

Notoriously hard to please,

the people of Lyon take eating very seriously.

THEY TALK IN FRENCH

So Raymond will be looking for help from old friends and great chefs.

HE TALKS FRENCH I have to wear a hat.

As well as legendary chocolate makers,

and the famous mothers of Lyon.

These women know how to cook

and how to give pleasure through their cooking.

The grande dames of Lyon's food circles.

Having immersed himself in the culinary ways of Lyon,

Raymond with his two young kitchen assistants Katie-Beth and Kush

will host a feast at one of Lyon's most famous restaurants.

Voila.

HE LAUGHS

Industry has brought great wealth to Lyon.

Its heritage as a city of working people can be seen most clearly on its menus.

Not for Lyon the prime cuts found on the grand tables of Paris!

Here, it's offal they love.

Tripe, liver, heart and head, the Lyonnais will eat it all.

In search of inspiration for his feast,

Raymond is visiting chef Pierre Orsi,

a great friend with a reputation as a master of Lyonnais cooking.

And of course, that means only one thing in Lyon. Offal.

-Oh, that looks lovely. Look at that!

-Tete de veau.

I am very ready!

Pierre has decided to whet Raymond's appetite with andouillette,

a pig's intestine savoury sausage.

That's intestine of the pig

put together into the skin of the big intestine and roasted.

It sounds terrible, but I assure you, it's really delicious.

It is typical of Lyonnais cuisine.

Oh!

The best way to eat andouillette is not to think where it comes from,

and you really start to enjoy it very much.

That is fantastic. If you're a Frenchman!

Pierre's next local delicacy, tete de veau. Calf's head.

That's a surprise that this dish came with a few vegetables,

which normally you don't always find!

So seriously protein-orientated food in Lyon, and fat-orientated as well.

But I must say, it's absolutely delicious, completely addictive.

Oh, les pieds de mouton.

And then from the other side of the farmyard, lambs feet.

I think all my buttons are going to go.

I've seen people double their size in a few days in Lyon.

Oh la la!

HE LAUGHS

A little bit of gristle.

I think I got the big toe!

When I come back to Lyon I LOVE to taste all of those flavours cos

they represent a whole view of a whole county.

Wonderful produce, beautifully cooked and it's delicious.

Finally, chef Pierre joins Raymond to eat some tripe double-gras -

fried tripe.

You know, when I cook tripes at home, my partner goes away for two days.

I cannot cook tripes any more.

I'm banned from the house.

Raymond had invited Pierre to his feast.

For me, the people from Lyon is the most difficult customer.

-He's very critical, very...he criticise?

-Yes, yeah critical.

He's very tough, very tough.

So with a warning that he has the toughest palettes in France to please,

Raymond is off to meet the celebrated meres de Lyon -

the mothers of Lyon.

These pillars of Lyon gastronomy are revered in the same way

as the legendary chefs.

The most famous mere of them all was Eugenie Brazier,

the first woman to gain three Michelin stars.

Raymond may be one of the world's top chefs

but it was his mother who taught him what it means to be a great cook.

So an invitation from Florence Pierrot to take lunch with

the mothers of Lyon is like a homecoming.

Bonjour, Florence, bonjour, bonjour.

C'est Raymond!

Allez...

Voila.

This famous Lyonnais dish means a lot to Raymond.

Poulet morilles is a classical.

It's one of the great dishes that you must eat once in a lifetime.

It's a most amazing flavour,

so I'm a very lucky boy, I'm going to eat the best chicken

and also cooked by Florence and as well

I will have a little bit of a memory.

I'll go back in to memory lane, all the flavours we're going to taste today,

because morilles are from my region.

We get mixed up cos she's a chef now,

I'm going to give her some things... difficult.

She doesn't like really to cook for two or three people,

what's the point? She likes a BIG table.

On trouve facilement dix personnes pour venir a manger...

Yeah, and she said you find easily ten or 15 people to come and eat, you know,

good food. Good point.

Wonderful to see the successions of layers of flavours,

that you are adding to a dish.

The whole kitchen is already full of those amazing scents.

So French...

-Voila!

-OK.

A votre sante. Merci, Florence.

With the wine, some local charcuterie.

# Qu'on est bien

# Dans les bras

# D'une personne du sexe oppose

# Qu'on est bien

# Dans ces bras-la! #

Oh la la!

The ladies who really know how to lunch are here.

First to arrive Colette Sibilia,

the queen of sausage.

Qu'est-ce que tu m'as apporte?

Next, Jacquotte Brazier.

The granddaughter of the most famous mere of them all Eugenie Brazier.

Comment ca va, Raymond? Ca va bien?

I will be anywhere you wish.

She has her own vineyard so we're drinking her own wine.

Beaujolais blanc, 2009.

To start a pork and pistachio sausage,

served with a luxurious sauce.

That is called a truffle butter.

There's about seven truffles like that in this butter.

Magnifique. C'est...c'est, ca c'est parfum.

There's no place for the cream, it's filled with wine.

That's a very French fridge, very Lyonnais fridge.

There's certainly more wine than food, actually.

Chef, oh la la!

ALL: Oh! Oh la la la la.

I really feel like at home, completely surrounded with my mums.

Mums, les grands meres, les meres, les meres,

les femmes qui savent cuisiner, hein?

The women who know how to cook

and how to give pleasure through their cooking.

Bon appetit et large soif!

I am, I am very sorry.

Lovely, beautiful.

So why did women become so prominent in the culinary life of Lyon?

-Lyon was an industrial town.

-Mm-hmm.

-There is no aristocracy.

-There is big bourgeoisie.

-Yeah.

So the grande bourgeoisie get some maid coming from the Alps.

The Lyon girls are going down to Lyon to find work

-so they come to Lyon.

-To cook?

-To cook.

-To cook for bourgeois families?

-Yes.

All these girls have been taught to cook well.

So it all started like that?

Every French lunch has to have cheese and all of these are local.

With Lyon, we've got about 20 different cheeses here

and they come from about the same places. It's unbelievable.

To see that whole culture devoted to food, celebrating food.

That's why we are here.

"Bon vivant", I think this word must have been invented in Lyon

cos I've never seen such an incredible, positive attitude to food.

What better way to spend the day then with the ladies of Lyon?

Who have finally found something useful for Raymond to do.

Not bad, eh? Serious, huh?!

The gastronomic signposts in Lyon seem clear.

Here, chefs take modest ingredients and turn them

into the finest of dishes. Underpinned with the values and skills

found in the best of home cooking, the food of Lyon is a product of its history

and one which cannot be ignored when it comes to planning the menu for his own Lyonnais feast.

And that history cannot be forgotten when it comes to finding a venue.

For Raymond, that means a traditional bouchon.

The bouchons were originally small restaurants that served silk workers

during the 17th and 18th centuries.

As the city became an industrial hub,

they flourished to feed Lyon's growing number of factory workers.

Today, there are only ten traditional bouchons left

and Raymond has decided one of the most famous,

the Cafe des Federation, will have the perfect ambience for his feast.

-Hello, Raymond.

-Bonjour, bonjour.

The proud owner is Yves Rivoiron.

-Oui. Ca va?

-Bonjour, bienvenue.

-Vous avez du travail? Ca se voit.

See, what is wonderful about France.

You go anywhere, they come out with a bottle of wine. At least it's 12 o'clock

so it's fine. To you.

What I really like about the Cafe des Federation is that simplicity,

that warmth, that conviviality.

You come here, the boss is here offering you a glass of wine, a big smile.

OK, ready to take your money

but he's also to give you a great time

and that is so natural, it's sewn into his skin.

He's a pure hotelier, that guy, a pure restaurateur.

You're feeling the heart of Lyon.

In a Lyonnais bouchon, one dish that is never off the menu is a pike quenelle and Raymond

has decided to start his menu planning by tasting it but first, a little more wine is required.

Er, Yves?

Quelle maison! What a house!

Oui.

He doesn't like to give water, he prefers to sell wine, fair enough.

Alors...

l'explication ici, le Morgon, on met toujours l'elastique.

I know now it is a Morgon.

You know, he creates his own little jokes

and that's what bouchon are all about. It's convivial, it's fun.

You totally relax and you probably are going to eat...

You'll probably have some very good food. Well, I hope anyway.

Time for the pike quenelle.

A light dumpling made from pike served with a crayfish sauce.

Well, this looks very beautiful. Merci beaucoup.

I've tasted so many horrible quenelle, tight, very heavy.

Let's see if this one promises to deliver.

Oh! Also, it looks great. There's a tremendous amount of flour

to make sure it dazzles you and tastes of pike.

What I'm looking for, effectively, for a great quenelles de brochet -

lightness, so it melts in your mouth, like snow.

I have tasted some pretty nasty quenelles de brochet,

but this one is the best I've tasted,

but still I find it very heavy and not enough pike flavour.

Thankfully for Raymond, improving the pike flavour should be easy,

as it is the fish most famously caught in the rivers of Lyon.

The abundance of pike in the Rhone and Saone gave rise

to the dish's prominence in the city.

to get the ingredients to try his version,

he heads for the best fishmonger.

Have you seen the space where the man is actually working?

It's about 20 centimetres. All is for the fish.

I need two...about one pound...

A good predator. Look at that! Wow!

Nasty creatures, they really are predators.

They really eat anything which moves...and which doesn't.

I bet it would go at me, if he could.

For me, he is going to pluck the pike.

The bones.

Very beautiful, very feminine word for a big masculine fish like that.

I know this beast very well. I've hunted them many times

using my rod, OK?

It is so fresh, so wonderful, so I'm very happy.

I have a great pike and we are going to do some fantastic quenelle.

When I see that... it's amazing, see?

That's typical Lyonnais pie

and, although I say, very nice, I say, it's so heavy, you know?

Mine will be like feathers. They will fly, they will float about,

they will be in suspension. It will be so light, fluffy,

delicate, silky, melting. Better be, or else I'll be in trouble!

It's like a baguette. I will take them under my arms. Well, not quite.

Raymond returns to the Cafe des Federations...

..but this time, he's using the staff entrance.

It's time to start preparing for the feast.

On hand to help are Katie-Beth and Kush,

assistants from his Oxfordshire restaurant.

-I hope you enjoy yourself.

-I think we will.

Now, all he has to do is create

the lightest, tastiest pike quenelle

that Lyon has ever eaten.

Some day, someone's going to get injured with that!

Pike is a very special fish.

They are a very special flavour.

Raymond starts by making a smooth mousse for his quenelle -

light, but intensely flavoured with pike.

You need to grind the flesh very, very well.

Let's have a look. Should be OK now.

I'm going to add two eggs.

To create the smoothest texture possible,

Raymond uses an extra-fine sieve.

Don't do too much together, OK? Take a little bit,

to get the silkiest, best kind of texture.

We have got the base of our quenelle here

and now we are going to add the richness to it.

Off to the fridge for the mousse, while the crayfish for the sauce

get to meet their maker.

Those little creatures are little monsters. They are really...

Little claws, but they can do a lot of damage, I can assure you.

The first thing we want to do is to kill them...humanely.

It is all part of the process of food.

With the meaty tails removed, the heads, shell and claws are crushed

and sent to the frying pan.

SIZZLING

That will take about seven to ten minutes.

So we are going to reduce a bit of white wine for that sauce.

I'm going to mix my vegetables and herbs, you see?

Now for the crayfish tails, but there's a job to do first.

Right, Katie, we are going to do another very unpleasant task. OK?

It's to remove the intestines of the crayfish.

So, push here.

-Voila. And you pull the intestine, OK?

-Right.

Tres bien. We are going to roast these lovely little creatures.

Tarragon. Voila. Yes, in it. A bit of water. Voila.

That takes 30 seconds from now, then take them off.

-If you go beyond...overcooked.

-Oui.

-OK?

OK, stop.

You see what you have now from grinding all the vegetables, herbs,

garlic flavour, tomatoes into a sauce - a jus -

-which is going to be delicious.

-Yes, Chef.

OK, pour it all in, like that.

Raymond reduces the sauce to intensify the flavour.

A swirl of cream and the crayfish sauce is ready.

Add a quenelle of the chilled pike mousse,

then some grated cheese, which Raymond worries is too moist.

Is this how this works?

My friend helped me. It was so hot in that kitchen.

Not a problem if you've got a hairdryer and a couple of clamps.

What I have done here, I've dried a bit of cheese.

Voila.

Finally, pop under the grill.

Raymond has mastered the pike quenelle.

Well, it's lovely and fluffy.

He's kept the dish loyal to its Lyonnais traditions,

but made it light and fluffy enough

for him to serve proudly at his feast.

In Britain, food shopping is dominated by supermarkets.

France is still managing to hold on to its long-established markets.

And in many, you'll find a rotisserie.

There is something about roast chicken which is very...

It smells so delicious.

The whole market smells of it.

With the waft of roasting bird in the air,

Raymond's thoughts for his main course

are returning to the trusted mayor and the delicious Bresse chicken

they cooked for him.

The region is famous for the bird

and he's going outside the city to seek them in their habitat.

The Bresse chicken is France's premier bird.

Like the best wines, it has its own

appellation controlee. The law governs exactly

how they must be raised.

The lifestyle they enjoy

is as far from intensive as it is possible to imagine.

They are prized for their tender meat and small bones.

Raymond has brought Kush

to see these chickens, which belong to a young farmer star,

Cyril Deglubere.

-Cyril, enchante.

-Bonjour.

-Bonjour.

-Bonjour.

What you see is a perfect animal.

And it's docile. It likes me, I think.

It is one of Cyril's birds

that goes to the President for Christmas dinner.

Such a beautiful shape.

It's really the Zinedine Zidane of chickens, really.

That's what it is.

And like top footballers,

they don't come cheap - about £40 each.

Then they get nine weeks' free range time in the fields,

where each of them must have at least ten square metres

to spread their wings -

the size of a small garden.

The healthy diet and outdoor lifestyle

ends with two weeks indoors where they are prepared for the pot.

Isn't it wonderful to see this chicken in its own environment?

And Raymond has a traditional recipe

which he is sure will do justice to these birds.

Back at the Cafe des Federations, Raymond is going to prepare

Lyon's great chicken dish,

poulet au vinaigre - chicken cooked in wine and vinegar.

This recipe is so common in Lyon

that every chef has his own version.

-He won't need the head, though.

-BANG!

All for a good cause.

But he's keeping the treasure inside.

Oh, look at that.

That fat, I want to melt it down.

Goose fat and chicken fat are inexpensive and absolutely delicious.

It's the Lyonnais way to use everything,

especially when a bird costs so much.

Look at that colour. Look at that. Beautiful!

Of course, if I was a Chinese restaurant,

I would keep that, as well as the delicious bits in here.

But mostly in England, we don't eat them, right?

Delicious. You should try it.

Raymond is careful not to cook all the pieces at once.

The breasts have less fat.

They will cook differently, different times,

so we add it at the end.

Time to start the sauce.

Onions first.

This onion is harsh,

it's vulgar, so I want to sweeten it, by cooking it.

Soon that kitchen's going to be invaded with the amazing flavours.

C'est tres bien.

Raymond uses red wine vinegar.

If I was to put it straight on the chicken,

my chicken would be ruined, your palate would be ruined

and you would probably be screaming out of pain.

Heating the vinegar makes it less harsh.

The white wine the same way, one quick bowl. Voila!

Tomatoes and herbs.

In goes the chicken. It's a simple, everyday dish,

perfect for the humble surroundings of the bouchon.

Parfait. I tell my other girl, always, always taste, taste, taste.

Just to put all the evolution of those flavours,

and how each part or each flavour

works together and helps with each other.

Put it in a low oven, and it will be ready in an hour.

The worst thing you can do to your chicken is to boil it.

Cos every muscle will contract, it'll become very dry.

I mean, what a shame, that beautiful chicken to be treated in such a way.

And don't boil the beans, either.

Raymond's mother taught him to add butter, a splash of water,

and steam them quickly.

The bean flavour, the juices come out and mix themselves

through the water butter to reinforce their own flavour.

And after this we'll know it was fun.

Look at that! Oh, look at that!

With the chicken tender and the sauce perfect, Raymond is content

that the main course will be a fitting one for his Lyonnais guests.

One of the reasons the city of Lyon

continues to be a jewel of French cuisine

is because the most famous restaurateur in France is here - Paul Bocuse.

The great chef has been Raymond's inspiration and mentor,

so a visit to see him is essential whilst in the city.

-Paul!

-Ca va?

-Vous faites des specialites lyonnaises?

-Oui!

This kitchen has won three Michelin stars every year since 1965.

If they restored the monarchy in France, he'd be king

and in the court of King Paul, a hat is compulsory.

I have to have a hat.

Parfait.

'I remember the first time I was a chef, because I was totally self-taught,'

I took the longest stalk, I could barely enter the kitchen!

-Sortez mon chapeau.

-Donnez-le un tablier, tiens.

-Voila.

Paul was awarded France's highest honour, the Legion d'honneur,

for his great influence on French food,

but it is the proud insignia of France's great artisans

that he wears every day.

When you see a French chef wearing this, it's not for decoration,

it's the most... You are one of the top craftsmen.

Ah, thank you. He's paying me a compliment now.

They're all smiles now, but it didn't start like that. When Raymond opened his first restaurant,

he made something of a faux pas.

He'd written to Paul looking for advice on notepaper

proudly headed by a logo he'd found in an old French book.

Unfortunately, it wasn't just any old logo.

Raymond soon heard back from his request.

Raymond wisely dropped the logo and Paul later visited his restaurant.

That's how you bring both your family to my place

and we had the most wonderful time.

That was one of the proudest moments of my life.

-Voila.

-Voila.

For a Frenchman exiled in Britain, this was an exceptional blessing.

And as a self-taught person,

completely outside of the top professional like Paul,

that brought me in, and Paul was the very first.

"Raymond, come in."

He was the first to bring me in, OK?

After our little incident.

Paul Bocuse encouraged a generation of young chefs

to own their own restaurants.

Before, chefs were working for employers.

He was the one pushing these young people to work for themselves.

If I'm here, it's certainly very much because of him.

But Raymond's visit is not complete.

Paul wants to show him his banqueting suite.

Look at that.

ORGAN PLAYS "ENTRY OF THE GLADIATORS" BY JULIUS FUCIK

The walls are adorned with the names of great chefs,

all great friends and admirers of Paul.

And up there, the name of a certain self-taught Oxfordshire chef.

There are fewer greater honours for a chef

than to be recognised by Paul Bocuse.

'What we've seen here is very much part of Paul,

'that spirit which is very fun, different...'

..curious, and it's about "life is fun".

'He's 85, you know, he speaks like a child as well'

and I like that very much.

Paul Bocuse is so famous in Lyon,

he's even got a market named after him.

Behind this horrible facade lies the culture of Lyon -

its food.

It's incredible, you will see allees after allees of mountains of food,

all the very best, the best artisan cheese, fish, meat,

mountains of Rosette de Lyon,

sausages from everywhere, tripe and all,

it is quite an incredible place.

If they gave Michelin stars to indoor markets,

this one would have three.

It's like the food halls of Harrods, but better, and everywhere,

the great man looks down on you like a culinary deity -

even the pies are the best.

This dish is a seriously popular dish in Lyon.

It's called pate en croute, which is effectively a pork pie.

Sometimes you can show it, really -

they've got this little, you know, little Buddha,

this little belly.

They wear it very well, quite high,

because that muscle, the stomach, has got to work so hard

every minute of the day because they eat so much food! I can't believe it!

This market is also home to a few of the legendary meres de Lyon,

-who run successful businesses here.

-Madame Richard, bonjour, bonjour.

This cheese shop is run by la mere Renee Richard.

INAUDIBLE

Ca vient du coeur. Et ca vient aussi de Paul.

She makes her own unique fromage blanc from goat's milk.

It's used in Lyon's most famous cheese dish, cervelle de canut.

This translates as "silk weaver's brains",

because it was very popular with the workers in the city's factories.

Voila. Like in a kitchen.

You see, I love this in Lyon, that conviviality.

There's no... The health and safety rules are not so closely observed,

but my God, that's delicious.

If fromage blanc is the cheese to eat every day,

then St Marcellin is the cheese for special occasions.

Beautiful acidity, wonderful balance,

creamy - there's no chalk inside.

St Marcellin and cervelle de canut is truly the two cheeses

which are on every table in every restaurant, in every family in Lyon

and beyond as well.

From the queen of cheese to the chateau of charcuterie,

and lunch companion la mere Colette Sibilia.

Her produce is famous throughout France.

Madame Sibilia's signature sausage is the Rosette de Lyon.

This cured sausage is produced in the hills surrounding the city.

D'abord, c'est un peu gros.

Her Rosette is made from a recipe handed down

to Colette 60 years by her mother-in-law.

Raymond wants to know the secret.

And because everyone in France is on a diet,

Colette makes a Rosette with only 10% fat.

First the French prefer less garlic and now there's a low-fat sausage option - what's going on?!

Parfait. I will take that.

This may not be her favourite, but it's interesting how one of the meres of Lyon is keeping

an eye on the fat content,

ever mindful of the chic crowd that live in the city.

Raymond knows one dish that's always popular is the legendary

Salade Lyonnaise. Originally prepared with dandelion leaves,

Raymond has a more contemporary idea.

He has sent Katie and Kush to an outdoor market

-to source ingredients.

-Bonjour, madame. Je voudrais...acheter une salade.

-Merci.

-Merci.

-I think that's everything.

-Yeah.

Raymond is going to make a perfect Lyonnaise Salad.

It is perhaps ironic that meat-loving Lyon's most famous dish is a salad,

but then it is made with bacon!

We've got a lovely escarole. That's my favourite,

that is really my favourite. It's called "ice queen".

That's the first salad that we grew in my garden.

That's a favourite of my papa as well. Reine des glaces - ice queen. Just nice big pieces. Parfait.

Contrasting textures work wonderfully well so with the lettuce and soft egg,

Raymond is making some crispy bacon.

Going to dry it in the oven to make it crisp and dry,

so very pretty as well and a lovely texture and flavour.

To make sure they keep their shape perfect.

To get the crunchy texture, Raymond puts it in a low oven for two hours.

Now we're going to poach our eggs.

And to get the best poached egg,

-they must be fresh.

-So, let's see how fresh our eggs are.

Well, it's good,

but how good is it, Kush?

Tell me how fresh that egg is - one day, two days?

I'd say at least a week, chef. Bit longer possibly.

It should be gathered around its friend, the yolk.

OK, again.

Raymond adds white wine vinegar to encourage the egg white

to cling tightly to the yolk.

If you have that fresh an egg, you don't even need the vinegar. Don't drop it, slide it.

Slide the egg in gently to give the poached egg an elegant shape.

Voila, perfect.

What we are doing here, we're pre-cooking the egg

so after three minutes, it'll be rare so then you stop the cooking

in cold water and then you can use it a few hours after.

Perfect, very good.

To assemble the salad, simply reheat the egg in hot water.

-Now for Maman Blanc's mustard dressing.

-Where's the garlic?

-A "gosh".

-A gauche! Your French is so appalling!

-A gauche.

-A gauche.

Add garlic and a shallot...

You can use any onions you want to,

but the shallots have a more refined flavour.

..a smooth and pungent Dijon mustard and a top-notch white wine vinegar.

-Kush, can you open that up for me, please?

-Yeah.

A useful tip - add some warm water to create a lovely creamy texture.

If you see water and oil, they don't mix.

It's only by emulsifying them that you are able to do so.

The warm water is helping with the wonderful binding process.

That will keep for a whole year in your fridge.

Voila.

Got a nice, beautiful, little...bacon here.

With all the elements ready, time to put this salad together.

Remember, you can always add - you cannot take away.

That's really... I can tell you, beautiful.

Kush, you just created yourself a Salade Lyonnaise.

But look what the egg does.

Look at that, look at that! Beautiful.

So let's taste.

Beautiful texture, wonderful flavour.

A bit of acid, a bit of... Great flavours, non?

That's the magic of food, that's why we love it so much, more than often...

-Yes, chef.

-Whatever! Maybe not, not in this programme!

The savoury elements of the menu have been finalised.

What Raymond needs now is an amazing dessert, one that will create

a memorable finale for the feast,

and in Lyon, that has to be chocolate.

Lyon has a long history of being home

to the best chocolate makers in France. This tradition continues at Bernachon,

where Raymond has brought Katie-Beth, chocolate lover and keen patissiere.

Front of house is dominated by a grand patisserie and chocolate shop.

They make all their own cakes and their own chocolate,

right from the bean to the box.

This place is one of the only ones

in Europe to make all of its chocolates from cocoa beans.

Paul Bocuse's influence is here, too - the business is run by his grandson, Philippe Bernachon.

When they say their chocolates are handmade,

that means every last detail.

Ah, voila. Oh, regarde. 40 years of...

They all have hands of fairies, look at that.

Little nimble hands, how they're able to force this silvery paper around.

Beautiful.

Oh la la, j'arriverai jamais!

No, no, no, I would never do that, never in my life!

Time to see the factory.

Philippe's father was in chocolate and his grandfather before him.

Oh, you smell the "chocolat", oh la la!

Like coffee, there are lots of different kinds of beans,

each with a different taste depending on where they're grown.

"Chocolat" is a bit like wine, OK, it needs different terroirs.

According to where it's grown, it will be acid,

it will be slightly more bitter, or more rounded.

Each of these varieties have got a character.

At Bernachon, they roast their own beans and then grind them.

The paste is then conched.

Cocoa butter is added and the mix is sweetened.

Look at that beautiful old machine, look at it!

It's heated and cooled to temper it to obtain a beautiful glossy smoothness,

with the chocolate content Raymond wants.

The strength of "chocolat" I'm looking for in my dessert is about 70% to 80%.

What does it mean? 80% pure cocoa beans, only 20% sugar.

That means very low sugar.

One of the chocolate makers is making their signature President cake.

Now it's Raymond's turn and that might be a challenge.

OK.

I'm cooling down my hands so the chocolate doesn't melt

when I handle it.

Every great patissier has cold hands. I've got warm hands.

Oh, fini.

And this is what it should look like.

It was created for the 50th birthday of President Giscard d'Estaing.

Raymond's might be more peasant than President,

but what does it taste like?

Oh, I see the liqueur oozing out.

Philippe's chocolate is perfect for Raymond.

-Merci.

-Merci. Merci bien.

-Merci.

-Goodbye.

La petite chocolatiere. On y va. Allez.

So far, everything on Raymond's menu pays homage to the great recipes of Leon.

His dessert however, will bring a taste of Raymond's adopted home.

He's going to make a chocolate tart with a little British twist.

We will give them a lovely chocolate dessert.

Beautiful chocolate tart served on an English crumble.

Croomble, would say the French.

OK? Flour.

Almond powder.

Demerara sugar but grounded.

That's what gives it an amazing texture as well.

Cocoa powder and butter are added before it's brought together

in a food processor.

You can see my weakness.

Sorry. Voila.

Now we are going to freeze it.

Before freezing, Raymond rolls out the dough with a rolling pin.

Voila.

-Failing that, a roll of cling film will do.

-OK.

I want it to be really crumbly. Big fat crumbles.

You know, texture explodes in your mouth.

So, perfect. Give me this. It's very frozen.

Next, the frozen dough goes back into the food processor.

Voila.

Then I will have a crumble, you see? Nice big nuggets.

Very rough.

By squeezing it you are going to create this wonderful rough.

Gorgeous. Delicious crunchy texture.

The chocolate crumble is now put in the oven to create

the texture Raymond wants.

That's the chocolate crumble base. Now for the topping. A ganache.

Ganache is a very fancy word which is just chocolate and cream

that you mould together.

As it melts, the quality of the chocolate shows through.

There's more butter there. There's more cocoa butter in it

and more sugar of course.

It melts very quickly.

Oh, look at that.

Next, cream.

I've got a ganache, OK?

So, I'm whisking this mixture. OK? In order to...

bring more air inside.

To make it even lighter. And you know that the cook

has taken all of his heart and his brain to add something to it.

That little je ne sais quoi.

It looks lovely. All the smell of Lyon there, fantastic. Beautiful.

The chocolate ganache goes on to the crumble base to set.

Hmmm. look at that.

Isn't it fantastic?

I'm a chocolate lover.

Now, even for chocolate lovers, this is a rich dessert.

So for contrast, a ginger, lime and butterscotch sauce.

Oh, la, la, la. C'est... so lovely.

Crumbly and just...

A little bit of Great Britain below, a little bit of France on top.

The day of the feast has arrived.

This evening, Raymond is cooking for 20 guests at his borrowed bouchon,

the Cafe des Federations in downtown Lyon.

The red and white checked tablecloths

complement the largely traditional dishes Raymond has chosen to serve.

This meal is the culmination of his journey through Lyonnais cuisine.

He has created a menu of classic local dishes with a few surprises thrown in.

Now, this dessert. You don't know.

Raymond's decided to make his guests feel at home by serving

a Lyonnais favourite as a canape.

So, I'm doing some tripes. They love it.

A special part is called a bonnet. That's the lower part of the stomach.

And it's thick and rich and gelatinous.

And is delicious.

I think there going to love this, maybe.

OK, les enfants, the guests are arriving at 7 o'clock, OK?

Oui.

Don't leave that here, please. No, immediately, please, thank you.

No matter how many Raymond is cooking for, whether it's two

or 20, he always wants everything to be as perfect as possible...

-Needs lifting?

-Yes. OK?

..which is even more of a challenge in an unfamiliar kitchen.

-OK. 7 o'clock the guests are arriving at. OK?

-Oui, chef.

There is lots that can go wrong, so the pressure is building.

Oh, la, la. Oh, la, la, la, la.

OK? Don't worry. OK?

It is just simmering.

A little bit of a stir. Oh, oh. Hop!

HE LAUGHS

You slide your egg in.

Old friends and new are here for the feast.

Their sense of anticipation feeds into Raymond's desire

to do as well as he can.

First, the tripe canape to whet the appetites

of his offal-loving Lyonnais guests.

Next, the salad Lyonnais with that extra-special, extra-crispy bacon.

Oh, look at that, beautiful Lyon. So simple.

No, it's perfect. You see the difference? It's absolutely perfect.

And I really love the small piece of beacon on this

because every crunch is perfect.

Now, Lyon's revered pike quenelle

which Raymond has taken such care over perfecting,

to make as light as possible.

They are beautiful. Well done guys.

But will his guests, including good friend and two-Michelin-starred chef Pierre Orsi,

concede he's got it right?

Tres bon.

C'est delicieux. It's one of the best quenelles Lyonnais ever.

The quenelle have to be light, you see.

Very light.

I think he made a really good recipe.

It's wonderful.

As Kush and Katie serve the chicken with vinegar, Raymond decides

to make an unplanned addition to the chocolate dessert.

Beignet. Let's go this way, guys.

-It's a speciality in Lyon.

-Beignets.

-Smaller, voila.

Should be fine. Yes, starts to go up. As soon as it...

Maybe it's got phase three. This dessert...

It should be frying fast, so fast.

I'm not a very good technician, as you can see.

I can, I will fail every time when it comes down to technique.

They are going to dip this bugne in their chocolate sauce.

What more do you want in life?

And there's one man who really knows his onions

when it comes to chocolate.

Philippe Bernachon...

whose prized dark chocolate is at the heart of Raymond's tart.

It's not typically, I would say, a recipe Lyonnaise.

But chocolate made in Lyon, that is for sure is the best.

C'est beau et c'est bon.

It's nearly a dream. Nearly a dream.

Thank you very much for trusting me and with my two friends

Kush and Katie, and I hope we've been able to give you a lovely meal,

a pleasant meal.

The plates are clean as well. I love to see that, you know? Well, isn't it marvellous.

Thank you. We enjoy our evening as well.

-We are very grateful to come tonight. Merci.

-Thank you.

APPLAUSE

HE SINGS

THEY ALL SING AND CLAP

Next time, Raymond continues his culinary journey in Alsace.

Ohh, la, la.

The food we're going to offer sums up the beauty of Alsace.

Oh, it's wonderful. It's fresh, it's beautiful.

I'm the happiest man on earth.

I say we're on for a good feast. I think so.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd