0:00:02 > 0:00:05Raymond Blanc arrived in Britain in 1972 as a 22-year-old
0:00:05 > 0:00:08unemployed French waiter,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10with only a shaky grasp of English.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Ten years later, he was a chef with two Michelin stars,
0:00:13 > 0:00:15which he still holds today.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Good texture. Lovely, lovely.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21While he has been successful in his adopted home,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24he has never forgotten his first love...
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Food, food, glorious food! My God!
0:00:26 > 0:00:28..the food and wine of France.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Beautiful!
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Now Raymond is back to his favourite French regions
0:00:33 > 0:00:36so that he can reconnect with the wonderful food and people
0:00:36 > 0:00:38that have inspired him.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Ah, voila!
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Woah-ho-ho! Ooh, la, la!
0:00:42 > 0:00:44The flavour is intense.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Just...
0:00:46 > 0:00:47melting.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51In each region, he will take over a restaurant for one night only...
0:00:51 > 0:00:54- Oh, la, la!- ..and cook a feast inspired by his journey.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56My beautiful Franche-Comte.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59He will be serving a menu that features his version
0:00:59 > 0:01:01of famous local dishes.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06Helping the master in his homeland will be two lucky young chefs
0:01:06 > 0:01:08from his restaurant in Oxfordshire -
0:01:08 > 0:01:11- Kush and Katie-Beth. - Oh, la, la! Oh, la, la!
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Despite 30 years at the top in the UK,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19this will be the first time Raymond has had a chance to be Chef
0:01:19 > 0:01:20in France.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25I've never cooked in France and I'm slightly, slightly anxious.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26Ooh, la, la! Stop it!
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Stop, stop, stop! Don't go up!
0:01:29 > 0:01:33It's a daunting, nerve-wracking and exciting task,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36but one perfectly suited to Raymond Blanc -
0:01:36 > 0:01:37the very hungry Frenchman.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Provence. It's the good life.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Enough sunshine to bless outside living and temperate enough
0:01:50 > 0:01:53for a simple larder to flourish from the rugged landscape.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56When all the flavours of the area come together,
0:01:56 > 0:01:58the bright tomatoes,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01fruity olive oils, the fresh garlic and aromatic herbs,
0:02:01 > 0:02:05then you have a region so clear in its culinary identity,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08it sums up a lifestyle - Provencal.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13The region covers a vast area stretching all the way
0:02:13 > 0:02:15from the High Alps on the Italian border,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19to the glittering Mediterranean Sea in the south.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Provence is drenched with sun, drenched with light pouring in.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24It's hot.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27You see sometimes the sun, the light, dazzling,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30dancing on the flora.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34It's a region that the French love. It's a region that the British love.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37It's certainly a region that I love.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Amongst the experiences that have inspired Raymond Blanc's passion for food and cooking,
0:02:41 > 0:02:46few can rival his first visit to Provence as a 14-year-old boy
0:02:46 > 0:02:49from the cooler, landlocked region of Franche-Comte,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51some 400 miles to the north.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55It was an extraordinary moment when I discovered Provence.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58The sky was so different! It was blue, it was immense.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Just amazed by the difference.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05The lavender, the rosemary, the "anis", the fennel everywhere.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Even the fish looked different.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11They were spiky and red, totally different from what I'd known before.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14The taste, mostly the tastes were different.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Suddenly, the garlic, the "basilic", the tomatoes, the olive oil!
0:03:17 > 0:03:22I used butter. Here I discovered olive oil. I didn't know olive oil.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25The textures were so incredibly different,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27that I could've been onto another planet.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Raymond has remained fascinated with the region, and for him,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39there is no better way to remind himself of his early
0:03:39 > 0:03:41love affair with the food,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43than to drop in at a quayside restaurant
0:03:43 > 0:03:46and savour the flavours of Provence with an appetiser.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50You've got wonderful flavours from the earth, from the soil of Provence,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53like these delicious red peppers, which are just simply roasted.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57A little spread of olive oil, that's it! That's plenty.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Now you've got a lovely tapenade, OK?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03And tapenade is so easy because it's just simply black olives
0:04:03 > 0:04:06which are pureed. Delicious.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10That is a beautiful dish. It's called caviar of aubergine.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Of course, it's got nothing to do with caviar.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17A bit mean on the olive oil as well, but not mean on the garlic.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20That one is absolutely reeking of garlic!
0:04:20 > 0:04:25You have all of France in here! My God, you've got all the garlic of France in here!
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Those things are there to tease you.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Tease the appetite, that's all.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33To make you salivate,
0:04:33 > 0:04:40make sure those gastric juices stir faster and faster and faster.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43It's a process, eating. You've got to prepare yourself.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45You've got to find the right place,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48the right wine and you feel good, and then you start enjoying yourself.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56For Raymond, wherever he's chef, it's the enjoyment of his guests
0:04:56 > 0:04:59that remains, for him, the joy of cooking.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03And for the next few days in Provence, his journey will deliver just that,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06as he becomes inspired by the region
0:05:06 > 0:05:08that entertained his young taste buds,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and pulls together a Provencal feast,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14as he draws on old memories, eats with great friends...
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Woah-ho-ho! Ooh, la, la!
0:05:17 > 0:05:18..discovers new wines...
0:05:18 > 0:05:21This one, it is incredible!
0:05:21 > 0:05:24People are going to be so happy.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28..and tastes a cornucopia of Provencal life...
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Tres, tres, tres special! How lucky you are!
0:05:30 > 0:05:32You have all this fantastic fish!
0:05:34 > 0:05:37..all grown under a warming Mediterranean sky.
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Oh, la, la! Oh, la, la!
0:05:41 > 0:05:45With his Provencal ingredients gathered, Raymond will host,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47for one night only, in a local restaurant,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50his interpretation of a regional menu,
0:05:50 > 0:05:54- with just two young chefs from England to help - Kush... - Ready, Chef!
0:05:54 > 0:05:56..and Katie-Beth.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58More flavour! More flavour!
0:05:58 > 0:06:02They are beautiful but, come on, don't be so mean, for God's sake!
0:06:02 > 0:06:03Yes, Chef!
0:06:03 > 0:06:05I feel a little bit of nerves.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Part of me loves it and part of me is anxious. Always a bit of anxiety!
0:06:15 > 0:06:19The magical way you can sit next to the Mediterranean
0:06:19 > 0:06:23and eat the fruits of the sea, sum up life in Provence for Raymond.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26To capture the essence of the best in Provence,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Raymond has decided to start in Marseilles,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32and drop in on good friend Gerald Passedat
0:06:32 > 0:06:33to see how a local chef
0:06:33 > 0:06:39with three Michelin stars gets the best flavours of the Med on a plate.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Gerald's innovative food is immersed in the sea,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46from the terrace where you eat to the restaurant's own quay,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49where the fresh catch is landed.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52So I think it's fantastic. That man is lucky,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54because he's got his restaurant up there
0:06:54 > 0:06:56and he's got the fishermen down there,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59and they bring the fish to him every day.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01So the fish is very fresh here.
0:07:01 > 0:07:07- Tres bien.- Mackereau. Little dorade, like that.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10John Dory? Oh, il est joli.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14St Peter put his fingerprint on this fish so it's a blessed fish.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Mon pauvre, ca fait mal, hein?
0:07:28 > 0:07:32He hooked himself! The fisherman hooked himself, poor man.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I don't want to laugh about his ill fortune experience.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Tres bien. I think he's got a lovely girelle there.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46- Girelle royale.- Elle est jolie, elle est jolie. That's a beautiful fish for bouillabaisse.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49These little fish won't be finding their way onto Gerald's menu -
0:07:49 > 0:07:52this fisherman is catching his lunch.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55This man is actually fishing his fish soup, that's what he does.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58At lunch he will go home, it will take him five minutes.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00He will use the fish whole, leave all the insides,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03chop it up with a bit of onions, a bit of tomato,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06a bit of garlic, fennel, a dash of white wine, water.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Cover it, bring to the boil, puree, strain, serve.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14A lot of oil, garlic, lots of garlic, beautiful aioli. Et des croutons, hein?
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Whether the fisherman takes Raymond's recipe tip or not,
0:08:21 > 0:08:23it's the excitement of the fresh fish delivery
0:08:23 > 0:08:26that draws them into Gerald's busy kitchen.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Messieurs, bonsoir! Bonjour, comment ca va?
0:08:29 > 0:08:33As fish is the basis for much of Gerald's cooking,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36it's no surprise he has perfected a local dish, bouillabaisse,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40A fish stew with a deep, rich liquor base.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46- So, you don't empty them? You just put it all in, everything?- Oui.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48So that's a base for your bouillabaisse.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Every day for the bouillabaisse, you can't keep it in the fridge.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55The bouillabaisse has been famous in the region for years
0:08:55 > 0:08:58and is often interpreted by both chefs and home cooks.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Gerald is keen to show Raymond his Michelin-starred version.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07For the fish stock, a local catch,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10to which Gerald adds a dash of cognac and pernod.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12A little bit cognac.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18- Then the essential aromats of Provence.- What do you have?
0:09:18 > 0:09:19Fennel.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21- Orange.- Orange.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- A little bouquet garni. - Tomatoes, onion.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Look at these colours. Already, so beautiful.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Just chop the garlic, of course. A lot of garlic. We love our garlic!
0:09:36 > 0:09:40- When it's cooked, it's better. - Fantastic. C'est merveilleux.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45To this, a few spices - star anise, fennel and chilli,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47and for liquid, water.
0:09:47 > 0:09:48Not just any water.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53I always add two spoons of sea water.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56The Mediterranean is such a good water, clean water
0:09:56 > 0:09:57that I can put it in my soup?
0:09:57 > 0:10:00- And it boils anyway.- OK. - The Mediterranean is good.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05He's seasoning effectively his soup with sea water. Brilliant, very clever.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10It's lovely. All these flavours have melted together.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14An incredible action between the sea, the air, the spices, the herbs.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16It's incredible.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19It's cuisine completely influenced by North Africa,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22all the spice trade coming to Marseilles.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25All the traders and with it, new recipes, new ideas,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27but they are lucky.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30They are really lucky to have all these fantastic fish.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37This base is merely a canvas on which Gerald's bouillabaisse is painted.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39He's truly raised this dish to an art form.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Oh, la, la. Oh, la, la!
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Stunning. That... I understand now.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58I think that's the best bouillabaisse I've tasted, actually.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02- It's traditional to serve a spicy sauce on the side.- A little bit.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Whoa! Oh, la, la. Oh, that is very spicy.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12That is North Africa, completely.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14I'm on the other side of the Mediterranean.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19Time for Raymond to solicit a little local advice
0:11:19 > 0:11:21about putting a Provencal menu together.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26I think very simple recipes with olive oil first.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27"Basilic"?
0:11:27 > 0:11:31- Basilicum, yes.- Garlic?- Yes, garlic.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- What else?- Tomatoes.- Tomatoes.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39- And what else?- And fish.- And fish. - And no cream. And no butter.
0:11:39 > 0:11:40And a lot of wine.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43- A lot of wine and a lot of sun. - A lot of sun, of course.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47- The sun, the light.- Light.- Brings the light. We'll pay for the light.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52- That sounds lovely. Merci. Merci bien.- Thank you, thank you.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59It's over 20 years since the classic book A Year in Provence
0:11:59 > 0:12:01summed up the idea of living
0:12:01 > 0:12:05a romantic, simple Provencal life for a generation of Brits.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Soaking up the atmosphere of this region is easy,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12but after his visit to Gerald's three-star kitchen,
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Raymond can see that the food game can have high stakes in Provence,
0:12:16 > 0:12:21something he will need to aspire to for his feast for locals.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26His long relationship with Provence has always been mental fuel
0:12:26 > 0:12:31for Raymond, so it's no surprise when the sight of a wild herb
0:12:31 > 0:12:36stops him in his tracks and reminds him of a past cheffing experience.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41It's incredible because when I see this fennel,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44that's also the first taste of Provence for me.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48I stopped. I came with my family in a very old van, OK.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51I stopped and I picked up all this fennel
0:12:51 > 0:12:56and I bagged it all up in big handfuls in the boot of the car.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00The whole family hated me, especially my wife, of course.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04She couldn't bear the smell of fennel, but to me, that is Provence.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07I picked up rosemary and I picked up lavender. Wild lavender.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I picked up all sorts of wild thymes. It's incredible.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14If you knew the smell of this fennel, it is incredible.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18On that very simple recipe, quick one, you just cut it off,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21roasted fish on top, a bit of olive oil, in the oven,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23and you've got the most incredible recipe.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Remember, always take expert guidance
0:13:26 > 0:13:29if you're going to forage in the wild.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34With the air perfumed by fennel and the memories of Gerald's advice on local fish,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Raymond is headed to the town of Sanary-sur-Mer and the restaurant
0:13:37 > 0:13:41he's chosen to locate his feast, La P'tite Cour - the little courtyard.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44- I think you'll like it.- OK. - Shall we go, guys? Allez.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47With people coming to eat in a few days' time,
0:13:47 > 0:13:52he needs to start finalising his menu and organising the kitchen.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- Rosemary and lavender?- No, Chef.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57I love the idea of people having a feast here.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59That's what food is all about,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03to create a feast for people you don't even know, but who cares!
0:14:03 > 0:14:09It's the joy that produces chefs, creating a moment which people
0:14:09 > 0:14:12hopefully will never forget, and that's lovely.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15I feel happy. I feel very happy. Yeah.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Being situated on the sea, the town has a gem for Raymond -
0:14:22 > 0:14:24a fish market.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28With all the local inspiration, he settles on a main course -
0:14:28 > 0:14:32fish on a bed of roasted fennel with an intense red wine jus.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Innovate flavours that sing of Provence.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Bonjour, bonjour!
0:14:41 > 0:14:45To balance the dish, he needs a fish with a robust flavour.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49- C'est le pageau?- Non, dente. - Oh, vous l'avez trouve? Parfait.
0:14:50 > 0:14:56That's the local fish that you can only find in the waters here,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58it's called dente. Why?
0:14:58 > 0:15:03Look at his teeth! Serious, eh? Wonderful meaty flesh.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05That is a perfect fish for roasting.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09What I want to create is a fish with red wine. Red wine jus,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12because that's very daring.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Usually, people associate fish with white wine.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Red wine with meat and with cheese.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18I will buy it now and try it later.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23- C'est combien, le dente? Le poids, le dente?- 28.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Back in the kitchen, he sets to work on his new dish.
0:15:33 > 0:15:34Tough! Tough guy!
0:15:34 > 0:15:39A bit of a small guy, but a good, solid strengths.
0:15:42 > 0:15:48It's the first time Raymond has cooked this fish so he's interested to find out about its character.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51It looks like bream in terms of colour, but I think it'll be firmer.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54It's a local fish which moves around Sanary
0:15:54 > 0:15:58so it's very local to this particular area.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03First, Raymond sautees the fish bones from the dente in olive oil.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07- A bit of liquorice.- Then, he adds a little liquorice root.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Its flavour echoes the fennel Raymond will be serving with the fish.
0:16:10 > 0:16:16All the aniseed flavours are in the sauce, a great deal of Provence.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Next, some chopped red onion, garlic and butter mushrooms.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Voila! These mushrooms are going to round up the flavour.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27All these ingredients provide the base for an unusual red wine sauce.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30I'm going to serve with the fish some red wine, OK?
0:16:30 > 0:16:32They are not used to it here.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37Normally, you do fish with white wine and meat with red wine,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41maybe they are going to throw me out back into the sea! We'll see how it goes.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46Next, it's the key ingredient - a full bodied red wine.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49That is the richness I want.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52- See, you can taste it. - It's quite strong.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Hein? Serieux, hein? Oh, la la!
0:16:55 > 0:16:58But that's what we want. It's perfect for cooking.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05There you can see the Provence wine which has a lot of alcohol.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09It'll burn like that for ten minutes! HE LAUGHS
0:17:10 > 0:17:15- The reduced red wine is added to the fish bones.- Kush, the strainer.
0:17:15 > 0:17:16Oui, Chef.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19That's a big strainer, OK.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24- Big is beautiful.- Chef! - You press!- Chef!
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Voila! And there, you've got a lovely jus.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34The jus is set aside, ready to be reduced to an essence.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37As well as the red wine essence, Raymond is going to serve the fish
0:17:37 > 0:17:42with the fennel cooked in two ways. The first, he called Fennel Flames.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Chefs are quite creative people.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49It's just as a shape of flames, as simple as that.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53It's got texture and loads of flavour.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58The fennel flames are going to be braised with fresh garlic and spices...
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Don't get emotional about your garlic!
0:18:01 > 0:18:04..and a generous helping of Provencal herbs.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- Star anise.- And water?
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Once braised, the fennel flames are caramelised.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16The fennel trimmings have been pureed.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Raymond has decided to simply pan fry the seasoned dente,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23skin side down in a hot pan.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26The fish slice. Voila!
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Nice combination.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31OK, in the oven.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Two minutes and it will be ready to serve.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36A bit of lemon juice.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41With all the elements ready, time to think about the presentation.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45- Voila, yeah! - The fennel puree goes first.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Voila! Beautiful!
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Then the fennel flame.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- Really lovely. Beautiful. - And then the dente.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58A warm garnish of chick peas, broad beans and tomatoes
0:18:58 > 0:19:01provide flavour, texture and Provencal colour.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- And the jus red wine. - Oui, Chef!- Tres bien!
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Now, for the red wine sauce which has been thickened
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and reduced to a glossy essence.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13It's a dish he hopes his local guests will love.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17I'm happy! I know I'm happy. I feel like Papa Blanc now.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21I'm feeding my children. Voila!
0:19:24 > 0:19:27It's lovely. It's lovely. It's fresh.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30More caraway in the point..
0:19:30 > 0:19:34chick peas, but it's lovely.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Breaking the rules even further,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45Raymond is also serving a red wine to drink with his fish dish.
0:19:49 > 0:19:54He's hoping a local vineyard will have a red wine to harmonise with the fish.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57So, he heads for the hills seeking a renowned winemaker.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01The red wine Chateau du Pibarnon is exceptional
0:20:01 > 0:20:06and Raymond has come to see the owner, Eric de Saint-Victor.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10So, are these grapes ready to harvest?
0:20:10 > 0:20:14First of all, what we do is like everybody else,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17taste the grapes and we are looking at the seeds
0:20:17 > 0:20:21to see if the seeds are brown and not too green.
0:20:22 > 0:20:28- They are brown.- And see if the skin breaks with the teeth.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30No earthiness in the skin
0:20:30 > 0:20:34so this means that the wines
0:20:34 > 0:20:38will be smooth, well balanced, nice tannins and so on.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43The seeds are just like coffee seeds, you know, it breaks...
0:20:43 > 0:20:48If I was a "vigneron" - I'm not a vigneron, I'm only a chef -
0:20:48 > 0:20:52I would harvest now. I would harvest now - wrong or right?
0:20:52 > 0:20:56You are absolutely right because the wild boar, you know,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58is starting to eat them.
0:20:58 > 0:21:03- It's our biggest challenge and they never make a mistake.- No.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05What they take is ripe, you can make sure. It's sure!
0:21:05 > 0:21:09You look like that... You don't look like a boar!
0:21:10 > 0:21:14The ground the vineyard stands on, the terroir, is full of limestone
0:21:14 > 0:21:18and Eric thinks that's highly significant.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23It gives a sort of almost a bit of...
0:21:23 > 0:21:25In the red wine, some elegance,
0:21:25 > 0:21:29something quite, erm... I don't know it in English.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32En francais, de la seve, you know?
0:21:32 > 0:21:34- Juice.- Juicy!- Sap!
0:21:34 > 0:21:37- Exactly, sap! Yes. Voila!- Sap.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Sap is very important for me in the wine
0:21:39 > 0:21:42because during the tasting, if you have some sap,
0:21:42 > 0:21:47then you can think about matching the red wine and fish.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53And that's the key to it for Raymond as he wants to serve a red wine,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57not just as a jus, but to drink with his fish dish.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59White wine, fish.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Red wine, cheese.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06It's prejudice. It's all wrong because red wine doesn't go at all.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09I believe very much that the wine produced in a place
0:22:09 > 0:22:12goes very well with the food around it.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15It's a matter of the flesh of the wine,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18- the sap that we are talking about... - A lovely word.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22..is very important to match with the fish.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27- You need a strong texture to go with the red wine.- Yes, definitely.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30What I'd like to do, what I propose to do, Eric,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32I would like to go in your cellar...
0:22:32 > 0:22:36- OK.- ..so we can assess if it goes or not. Shall we?- Sure.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Back at the chateau, Marie, the winemaker here,
0:22:40 > 0:22:44has looked out a 1990 bottle for Raymond to sample.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Eric used to call it the Latin lover, this wine.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54When it was young, now it's an intelligent Latin lover!
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Be careful it doesn't get too old!
0:22:59 > 0:23:02I am really curious, really seriously curious
0:23:02 > 0:23:05to see how this 1990 has aged.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Will it have melted well enough
0:23:08 > 0:23:11to just accompany a great dish?
0:23:11 > 0:23:14The colour! Look at that colour!
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Just listen to the wine.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19He's whispering right now, but...
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Red like the blood of Christ.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26It's a true communion, no?
0:23:41 > 0:23:45This wine, 1990, it is incredibly good.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48People are going to be so happy.
0:23:48 > 0:23:49It is special.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56With the special wine in the trunk and the main dish up to Raymond's culinary demands,
0:23:56 > 0:24:00the fruits of Provence are happily steering his menu.
0:24:00 > 0:24:06Raymond's faith in local delights, leads him to seek out a vegetable unique to the area -
0:24:06 > 0:24:10the Viola de Provence, a variety of artichoke.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15Raymond is going to use this local treasure to make barigoule,
0:24:15 > 0:24:17a traditional artichoke dish.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21This local artichoke is much finer and sweeter
0:24:21 > 0:24:24than the Brittany variety common to UK supermarkets.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- How many are we going to need, Chef?- We need about 40.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- For the recipe, we want two hearts per portion.- Oui.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35- So I have 20 guests, two hearts, 40, yeah?- Yes, Chef.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37This family have been growing artichokes for 50 years.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42See, what's really wonderful, but you don't realise maybe, Katie,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45is how important what we're doing here.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49See this gentleman here? He is one of the last farmers of artichokes
0:24:49 > 0:24:52in this particular region.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56I think we should be very proud to use his artichokes.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00They connect with a lovely wood of this man
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and the keeping of this whole region.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07Of course, the food will taste so wonderful - it's totally organic and pure.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09- And so fresh.- Absolutely.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13This distinctive vegetable is a member of the thistle family,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16hence its familiar shape.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- Let's go and cook. Tres bien, on y va.- Merci.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Back at the restaurant, Raymond sets to work
0:25:35 > 0:25:38making his own version of barigoule,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42gently cooked artichokes, onions and garlic and smoked bacon,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46it's a delicious side dish sure to make his Provencal guests
0:25:46 > 0:25:51- particularly happy. - Barigoule, initially, is a very old Provencal dish,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54which used to be with mushrooms.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58So you can see how dishes can move on from one century to another,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00or one generation to another.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Here, the barigoule is made of beautiful violet.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10First, the fiddly job of preparing the artichokes...
0:26:10 > 0:26:11Keep going, a bit more. Voila.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14..peeling out the hearts.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Like that. Slowly.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20- Perfect! But not too much. - Oui.- OK?- Oui.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23so then with a serrated knife, you cut it just here.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Once the fibrous choke is removed, they're soaked in water
0:26:30 > 0:26:34with a squeeze of lemon to stop them from turning brown.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35Tres bien.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Voila.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Next, Raymond roughly chops the other vegetables.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42The garlic...
0:26:43 > 0:26:45OK? The purple garlic.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47This belongs to Provence.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51It's three times as strong because it's young. It's full of moisture.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Raymond adds a little locally smoked bacon.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58I bought here the local Ventreche.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02The Ventreche is the belly of the pork.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05We just need a tiny little bit, maybe no more than that.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Just to give it that smoky flavour, but no more.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Once the ingredients are prepared,
0:27:13 > 0:27:17they are gently sauteed in a generous quantity of olive oil.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Then use your best olive oil.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Your onions, everything in it.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Slowly. I don't want to hear that frying noise.
0:27:25 > 0:27:31So now, our herbs, our belly of pork, our garlic. We've got our thyme.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Two, three bay leaves. Perfect.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35Tres bien.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38A quick stir, you go ahead. That's it. Voila.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42And gentle. You want to be very gentle. Voila.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45The artichokes need the least cooking, so go in last.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Voila. Stir.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50While the vegetables are sauteeing,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Raymond heats some inexpensive white wine.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Always heat your pan first.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58So when you put in the wine, it boils away immediately
0:27:58 > 0:28:02and takes most of the alcohol away, so you have the mineral flavour.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Yes, Chef.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09The warm wine goes in along with some water.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11- Straight in?- Yes, straight in.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14And Raymond's special touch - some preserved lemon.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Remember, we are close to Marseilles here.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21All these great flavours were brought
0:28:21 > 0:28:24from the North Africans, the Moors, the Sarrasins,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26who invaded this part of the world
0:28:26 > 0:28:28and brought their spices
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- and their cuisine, you see? - Oui.- That's all.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Gentle... Barely a little bubble, OK?
0:28:36 > 0:28:40Just a gentle, simmering pot.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Once cooked, Raymond strains off the liquor and emulsifies it
0:28:44 > 0:28:46to create a creamy consistency.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51OK, tres bien.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53To finish the barigoule,
0:28:53 > 0:28:58the vegetables are topped with the emulsified liquor and sprinkled with parsley.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07Mmm, so good.
0:29:10 > 0:29:15Nothing distinguishes the sun-blessed bounty of Provence more than the olive trees.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18One of the strongest memories
0:29:18 > 0:29:23Raymond has of his first visit to the region is the use of olive oil.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28These days, it would inconceivable for him not to have a bottle or two in the kitchen.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32In my area, we don't use olive. I didn't see any olive trees,
0:29:32 > 0:29:34but also we don't use olive oil,
0:29:34 > 0:29:36because we use a lot of butter.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40Because the Montbeliarde is a beautiful cow,
0:29:40 > 0:29:42broad and generous with her milk.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46If I will use butter here, they would hang me on the top of that Cedar.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Maybe higher!
0:29:48 > 0:29:54Because it's inconceivable here to use anything else but olives.
0:29:54 > 0:29:59Olive oil is basically the main oil that you use in Provence.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03The Ancient Greeks planted the first trees deep in the region
0:30:03 > 0:30:06and they remain at the heart of Provencal cooking.
0:30:06 > 0:30:12So a chance to harvest the fruit that will be a flavour layered through his local feast
0:30:12 > 0:30:16is an opportunity Raymond cannot refuse.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Ah, Monsieur Olive, bonjour!
0:30:19 > 0:30:22- Comment allez-vous!- Tres bien, merci.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24- C'est un grand moment, hein?- Eh, oui.
0:30:24 > 0:30:29It's a big moment, is it? It's what you're waiting for all year round.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32Quelles olives? Which olives are they?
0:30:43 > 0:30:46It's the first harvest and Alain is very happy.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50He's got a very good harvest here. This olive is very special.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52The first harvest of the year.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56It's called a Salonnenque type of olive.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59And what they do here, they don't use it for tapenades,
0:30:59 > 0:31:01they don't use it for oil,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04they just use it break it down, OK, smash it a little bit
0:31:04 > 0:31:08and put it in plenty of water to remove the bitterness.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12And then, they go on the mountain here and it's full of wild fennel
0:31:12 > 0:31:17and they just pick up the flowers and marinade it with it and serve it.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24I would be a good picker, I think.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26I've picked everything in my life,
0:31:26 > 0:31:29even mangoes, oranges, plums,
0:31:29 > 0:31:32prunes, mirabelles, strawberries, raspberries...!
0:31:32 > 0:31:35It's the first time actually I'm picking olives.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Oh, la, la! Oh, la, la!
0:31:42 > 0:31:43Oh! Oh!
0:31:44 > 0:31:46It's...
0:31:46 > 0:31:49The bitterness... The acid...
0:31:49 > 0:31:51It's strange.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55It's just...so...
0:31:55 > 0:31:56Bitter! Bitter!
0:31:58 > 0:32:01It's just...
0:32:01 > 0:32:05I know very few things that taste so bad and can be turned
0:32:05 > 0:32:09into something absolutely delicious that we all desire.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16Turning the bitterest taste into the greatest treat
0:32:16 > 0:32:19is the real art of an olive grower.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41The difference between picking it fresh from the tree
0:32:41 > 0:32:44and creating a simple process is night and day.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47It is so delicious and delicate.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50They are not salty, it is really such a delicious olive.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52Thank you very much to treat me.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Well worth working for a whole year.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Raymond first came to the region when he was 14
0:33:15 > 0:33:18to visit a childhood friend, Rene.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Rene's family had decided to move some 400 miles south
0:33:22 > 0:33:24to the Provence coast.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26Rene was my very, very best friend,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29my pal, my friend, my confidant.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34We grew up together from a very early age, up to the age of 14.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39He left. He left my village and for me, that was really a big heartache.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43It was a big break for me in my childhood.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46We were that close.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49We were such great pals.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53So when Raymond's local priest, l'abbaye Simon, who was also Rene's uncle,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56arranged a trip to the seaside, Raymond jumped at the chance
0:33:56 > 0:33:58to visit his close friend.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01I remember it very vividly because first,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04you never went out of your village, or hardly ever.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08The furthest I had been up to the age of 12 was Switzerland,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10which is just 100km away.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13You didn't travel.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17Going a la mer, as the French say, going in the sea, at the sea,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21aller a la mer, it's a big thing for a little village boy.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25So of course, I was completely excited on two counts,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29meeting this Provence that I had heard so much, seeing the sea
0:34:29 > 0:34:31and of course, meeting my friend, Rene,
0:34:31 > 0:34:36because we'd spend a whole month together in that colonie de vacances.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42Sadly, Rene died ten years ago,
0:34:42 > 0:34:44but Raymond keeps in touch with his family
0:34:44 > 0:34:47and he's happy to have been invited to lunch.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49CHEERING
0:34:49 > 0:34:52Martine, Rene's widow, is delighted see him.
0:34:55 > 0:35:00Rene's sister, Bernardette, is also joining the lunch party.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05And the great thing about good friends is they love you.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10Of course you can! OK.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13The ladies have decided that to escape the kitchen bustle,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16Chef should join them for a picnic.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20It's a bread which is very much a speciality, OK?
0:35:20 > 0:35:24And it's made with white flour and a bit of olive oil inside.
0:35:24 > 0:35:29It's a very old bread, which is local, made back to the 13th century.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32And that's very smart because what they would do,
0:35:32 > 0:35:38they would have some rouille or aioli, little bits of saucisson or lettuce
0:35:38 > 0:35:44or garlic and tomatoes and then the whole idea is it's moist.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47When you put all that moisture inside,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50you do it at least two hours before,
0:35:50 > 0:35:54so the crumbs, they soak up all that lovely moisture.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59So you have one wonderful bite of Provencal flavours and textures
0:35:59 > 0:36:02and of course 13th-century history in one bite.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09Then, in the spirit of the local ingredients, olive oil over butter.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17That's a beautiful tapenade, the ripe olives. They were picked very late.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20It's pureed with a bit of olive oil, maybe a few capers,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23some put garlic, anchovies, whatever. It's very simple to make.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28Chez les gens qui me donnaient mon huile depuis 27 ans!
0:36:28 > 0:36:30- Hop!- Hop la!
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Voila, le classique! Raymond... Regarde, mais regarde ca.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38- Voila!- Bien vu.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45Voila. Tres bien.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51And then the sandwich is not... It's a sandwich.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53Le sandwich was...
0:36:53 > 0:36:57- Le sandwich a ete, en fait, cree en Provence.- Oui.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00The sandwich has been created in Provence, you see,
0:37:00 > 0:37:0113 centuries ago.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06As the sea dominates life here, they head for Raymond's treasured spot
0:37:06 > 0:37:10on the coast, the dramatic cliffs of Les Calanques.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Rene's brother, Jean, is on the beach to greet them.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17Vous avez faim?
0:37:17 > 0:37:22This place means a lot to each of us here.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24That's where I learned to dive.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28And I didn't know how to swim, but I knew how to dive.
0:37:28 > 0:37:33All I had to do was launch myself into the sea and look for that rock.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36And hopefully the wave wouldn't take you back.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39Very tricky place, very tricky place.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Once, I dived from 12 metres.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45It was my first dive at 12 metres and the sea was quite rough.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47Today, it's quite calm.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50And I landed very badly...
0:37:52 > 0:37:55..flat on my tummy, and you are winded out.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57You cannot move. You are paralysed.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00And Rene had to dive into the sea to get me back.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04Thank God he's such a better swimmer than I am myself
0:38:04 > 0:38:07because I would be at the bottom of this wonderful sea.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31After a day at the beach,
0:38:31 > 0:38:35Raymond is thinking about including some sunshine in his dessert.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39The strawberries of Provence are heady with perfume.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42Known as gariguette, the best grow wild in the mountains,
0:38:42 > 0:38:46but Raymond has picked these up at the market.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48C'est tres bien, c'est pour les cameramen.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52He'll be serving them three ways - pureed, as a sorbet and macerated,
0:38:52 > 0:38:58all topped off with a raspberry tuile and some mint and basil jelly.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01A refreshing end for his Provencal feast.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06You need the best fruit and it is so, so important.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09When you have the best fruit, it's easy.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13And they're so fresh. They're the very best variety.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17First, Raymond macerates them in some sugar and lemon juice.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21The sugar penetrates slowly into the fruit.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24You can bring at least 30% more flavour, or more.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Now, one quantity is pureed, sieved and churned into a sorbet.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37While it freezes, Raymond makes a raspberry tuile.
0:39:37 > 0:39:38Voila.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41My raspberry coulis.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44Raspberry puree is creamed together with icing sugar, butter
0:39:44 > 0:39:47and a little flour before being spread into a thin layer
0:39:47 > 0:39:49on some greaseproof paper.
0:39:49 > 0:39:50Voila.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55That's good. That's good. That's the right thickness.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01The tuile mixture is cooked until bubbly.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04You can pull them down like that.
0:40:04 > 0:40:05Directly on here.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08Before it cools and hardens, circles are cut.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12Well, bravo, Kate! C'est la perfection.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- It's perfection.- Oui.- Look.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17And shaped on a rolling pin.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Let's fetch everything - the coulis, sorbet.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23Coulis, parfait.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27To serve, a base of strawberry coulis.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31When I was young, I could do a perfect circle.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33THEY LAUGH
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Next, some simple macerated strawberries.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41OK, so use the gelee, just a tiny little bit, like that.
0:40:41 > 0:40:42And for a cooling contrast,
0:40:42 > 0:40:46Raymond has made a little basil and mint jelly.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50It's peppery, it's lemony, it's herby.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53It's beautiful, it's a fresh, different texture.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Next, the sorbet.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03And the final touches.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06The most dainty one. Maybe a bit of mint?
0:41:06 > 0:41:08Voila! Take the heart of it.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10So that's the dessert recipe,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13tried and tested, and glowing of Provence.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19I think there is nothing I want to change with this dish.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- I think it works, it's fresh and they will like it.- Oui.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28The peace and ambience of the hills, just inland,
0:41:28 > 0:41:32provide a stark contrast to the bustle of the coastal towns.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- Look, sage. "Sauge".- Sage.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Wild sage.
0:41:37 > 0:41:38The heat and warmth of the region
0:41:38 > 0:41:42doesn't just make for an abundance of fruit and vegetables,
0:41:42 > 0:41:46but surprisingly adds to a special cheese.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48The robust herbs that grow wild
0:41:48 > 0:41:51on the dry hills of the Provence interior,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53provide a flavoursome diet for these Rove goats.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Thus, giving their milk a taste
0:41:57 > 0:42:01that makes the much prized Brousse du Rove cheese, a local delicacy.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07Those goats are feeding on these wonderful herbs
0:42:07 > 0:42:12so I bet, when we taste this wonderful Brousse cheese,
0:42:12 > 0:42:16you are going to find some incredible perfumes here.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20- You know, you are what you eat. Remember that.- Oui!
0:42:20 > 0:42:22As a chef, very important to remember that.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24WHISTLING
0:42:25 > 0:42:28It's amazing, eh?
0:42:28 > 0:42:33The Gourian family have been artisans of this special cheese for hundreds of years.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35- Est-ce que ca gele de temps en temps ici?- Oui.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42The technique for making the cheese has been passed down
0:42:42 > 0:42:45through 14 generations
0:42:45 > 0:42:47to Andre's wife, Marie-Ange.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50Marie-Ange is very, very strong.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54The milk is simmered and one ingredient added.
0:42:54 > 0:42:55Voila, Marie-Ange.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02That's very interesting - Marie-Ange is using vinegar.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03Correct?
0:43:03 > 0:43:06Which will separate water from the solid.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09She doesn't take all the whey.
0:43:09 > 0:43:10Some of it to keep the moisture.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13What I love about these things, how simple it is.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18Finally a chance to taste the end product.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30There's a little bit of sweetness. Milky sweet.
0:43:30 > 0:43:34Although it's been soured, there's that lovely sweetness,
0:43:34 > 0:43:37which gives sweet, sour lengths of flavour.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41Raymond knows the cheese from Andre's goats
0:43:41 > 0:43:44will make a defining centrepiece to his cheese course,
0:43:44 > 0:43:46bringing a strong local note.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49But he still has to create a starter
0:43:49 > 0:43:52and two of the strong themes of his journey are forming an idea.
0:43:52 > 0:43:57The great bouillabaisse he tasted with his friend Gerald
0:43:57 > 0:44:00and the region's distinct use of grilled vegetables
0:44:00 > 0:44:02will come together in a dish
0:44:02 > 0:44:06that uses a technique he's been perfecting for decades.
0:44:06 > 0:44:07Layers of Mediterranean fish
0:44:07 > 0:44:11are encased in a gently set stock,
0:44:11 > 0:44:13all wrapped in a thin layer of aubergine.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16A jewelled mosaic of scent and flavour.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19This is Raymond's bouillabaisse terrine.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26Ah, they are here. They are all hidden away. For you.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30A magnificent selection of fish has been delivered to the restaurant.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32Raymond is spoilt for choice.
0:44:32 > 0:44:33A lovely John Dory.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36- What do you have here? - A type of bream, Chef.- Yeah.
0:44:36 > 0:44:40- Pink.- Yeah. It's called royal sea bream.- Royal sea bream.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42First, Raymond fillets the fish.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46Voila. We're going to keep the skin on. It's delicious.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49You've got a little gelatinous flavour as well.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53Raymond is using classic bouillabaisse fish,
0:44:53 > 0:44:57including John Dory and bream, but there's one that is vital.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59- This one is a "rascasse". - A scorpion fish.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02It's essential for the bouillabaisse.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06It's a hooligan of the sea. It's tough, it's hard flesh,
0:45:06 > 0:45:09but beautiful and meaty like a steak. The steak of the sea.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12Next, the fish is marinated.
0:45:12 > 0:45:18The marination will be based on saffron, which is very popular. Maybe two little pinches.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22Raymond is using powdered saffron rather then the traditional threads
0:45:22 > 0:45:25so that the flavour and colour permeate the fish more evenly.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28Tres bien. I'm going to dilute it with some water.
0:45:28 > 0:45:29Voila.
0:45:29 > 0:45:33And olive oil. Mon dieu, it's a gift from God.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36Into the base, Raymond adds garlic
0:45:36 > 0:45:39and Provencal herbs - fennel, thyme and rosemary.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42Tres bien. A bit of cayenne pepper.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44- Just here, Chef.- Yeah. And salt.
0:45:44 > 0:45:46- Seven big ones.- Seven big ones.
0:45:46 > 0:45:48Tres bien. Voila.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51Fish.
0:45:51 > 0:45:56You see, Kush, all the flavours of the South of France. Smell that.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02- See?- Yes. You can really smell the olive oil as well.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04If you use good olive oil, that's it.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07Good olive oil, good dish. Bad olive oil, bad dish.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09Bad fish, bad dish, no?
0:46:09 > 0:46:12The flavours are allowed to develop for about an hour.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14OK.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16Nothing goes to waste in this recipe.
0:46:16 > 0:46:21The bones are essential to the stock that gives the dish its bouillabaisse heritage.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24Look at that. All these wonderful flavours.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28The stock is used to poach the marinated fish very gently.
0:46:32 > 0:46:37- What oven temperature? - Chef, it's just over 100 degrees.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40The low heat helps preserve the fish's taste and texture.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45Next, Raymond cooks thin layers of aubergine skin in olive oil.
0:46:45 > 0:46:50- Flat. A bit of colour underneath? - Just a bit, Chef.- Yeah?
0:46:50 > 0:46:54Put the skin side outside. This is going to be very dramatic.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57When softened, they are used to line the terrine.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01Perfect. Ready to receive the fish.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05Once cooked, the fish is removed from the liquor.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07The fish. Bouillabaisse fish.
0:47:07 > 0:47:11To create the mosaic effect and add colour and flavour,
0:47:11 > 0:47:15Raymond adds pieces of grilled pepper, courgette and fennel.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18Gently. Very gently. Tips of my fingers.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20Raymond mixes very gently
0:47:20 > 0:47:23so as not to break up the fish before adding to the terrine.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26As the fish cools,
0:47:26 > 0:47:30Raymond adds gelatine to the stock and allows it to thicken slightly.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34You can see now, it's quite oily. The gelee is ready to set.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37This process is known as oiling.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39Too little and the terrine won't set,
0:47:39 > 0:47:42too much and the texture will be all wrong.
0:47:43 > 0:47:47The jellified stock is poured over the fish
0:47:47 > 0:47:50and it is allowed to set for at least 12 hours.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53I know it's quite a lot of work, but I wanted to please them
0:47:53 > 0:47:56and I wanted to do something a bit different for them.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59The dish is one of my oldest dishes back in England.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02It's what inspired me, actually. Provence inspired me.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06It's going to be absolutely delicious. I hope, anyway.
0:48:06 > 0:48:08OK. Tres bien.
0:48:08 > 0:48:14He's gambling that serving the locals their beloved bouillabaisse as a terrine won't backfire.
0:48:16 > 0:48:21For someone to whom food is almost a religious experience,
0:48:21 > 0:48:25coming back to Provence is like a pilgrimage for Raymond.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29He's been drawn away from the kitchen to a festival that blesses food.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34Inland, at Aix-en-Provence,
0:48:34 > 0:48:37he's joining the annual Blessing of the Calissons.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40Such a wonderful little celebration.
0:48:40 > 0:48:45Just not of food, but of community, of people and of their city.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48Aix is the heart of the almond industry
0:48:48 > 0:48:53and Calissons are small almond biscuits created some 400 years ago.
0:48:53 > 0:48:57Thousands of people dressing up for these Calissons.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00ORGAN PLAYS
0:49:16 > 0:49:19That priest was absolutely brilliant.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22Completely focused on the meaning of it.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25And he was saying man ate for sustenance.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28He killed and he ate his food and that was it.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31Then came civilisation and food was at the heart of it.
0:49:31 > 0:49:33Fire came in and we cooked the food
0:49:33 > 0:49:37and we created some delicious specialities, like Calissons.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40And it gathered families around the table
0:49:40 > 0:49:43so food was part of the community, food was part of life,
0:49:43 > 0:49:47food was part of the joy and celebration.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50And that was wonderful, really to see all these Provencals,
0:49:50 > 0:49:54their beautiful dress, in that moment.
0:49:54 > 0:49:56Raymond was an alter boy at his local church
0:49:56 > 0:50:01and grew up with a deep understanding of the connection between religion and food.
0:50:04 > 0:50:09It is a very French thing to bring food into religion, or religion into food.
0:50:09 > 0:50:11Oh, that is so lovely.
0:50:11 > 0:50:15I think I've been given Calissons by the most beautiful girl
0:50:15 > 0:50:19in the whole of Aux-en-Provence, two actually. Thank you very much.
0:50:19 > 0:50:24Of course, this is made with the almonds of this region.
0:50:24 > 0:50:28Almonds are the biggest industry of the whole of Aix-en-Provence.
0:50:28 > 0:50:33And do you know what? Not a single feeling of guilt. Do you know why?
0:50:33 > 0:50:37The priest has blessed my Calisson. That means I've got hands of God into this Calisson
0:50:37 > 0:50:40so that I can eat it without guilt.
0:50:44 > 0:50:48That is delicious! Really delicious.
0:50:48 > 0:50:52The sunny life and the great ingredients Raymond
0:50:52 > 0:50:56found in Provence, when he first set foot here as a 14-year-old boy,
0:50:56 > 0:50:58changed his palate for life.
0:50:59 > 0:51:04Now, he's come to the region armed with culinary skills in abundance,
0:51:04 > 0:51:10although he knows pure and simple would have made an uncompromising feast,
0:51:10 > 0:51:16that wouldn't be Raymond, who likes to raise the bar wherever he cooks!
0:51:17 > 0:51:19It's feast day.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22It's always complicated, different cuisine, different equipment,
0:51:22 > 0:51:25different ovens, different produce.
0:51:25 > 0:51:27A lot of things can happen wrong, I can assure you.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31The kitchen of La P'tite Cour is gearing up for a busy service
0:51:31 > 0:51:35and no French meal is complete without bread.
0:51:35 > 0:51:39Raymond has decided to make his own. but is short of a key ingredient.
0:51:39 > 0:51:44Kush, can you get me some yeast from the local bakery, please?
0:51:44 > 0:51:48Rising to the challenge, Kush races out to get some yeast,
0:51:48 > 0:51:51but he's forgotten his French isn't fluent!
0:51:51 > 0:51:54Je voudrais acheter un peu de "levin" pour le pain.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57- Pour la farine?- Non, farine, non.
0:51:57 > 0:51:59Farine, sel, l'eau...
0:51:59 > 0:52:02"Yeast" en anglais?
0:52:03 > 0:52:04Oui.
0:52:09 > 0:52:1015 grammes.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14- C'est bon?- Oui. C'est combien?
0:52:14 > 0:52:18- C'est bon?- Oui.- Pour moi?- Oui. - Merci beaucoup.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20- De rien!- De rien. - Au revoir, et bonne journee!
0:52:23 > 0:52:27- Thank you very much, Kush. Is it alive?- It's alive.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30It's not strong, but we'll try.
0:52:30 > 0:52:34Bread prepared, it's time to get it in the oven.
0:52:34 > 0:52:37At 300 degrees centigrade and with the door open,
0:52:37 > 0:52:40Raymond is having a few problems.
0:52:40 > 0:52:45Look! The paper is burning. It's incredible, I've never seen that!
0:52:45 > 0:52:46Oh, it's ridiculous!
0:52:46 > 0:52:50And every oven is under siege to fill his bread basket.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54A bit of water, Kush! Throw it in.
0:52:54 > 0:53:00That great steam giving volume, crustiness! I hope, I don't know!
0:53:00 > 0:53:01It's all in my head!
0:53:01 > 0:53:05The terrine has set beautifully and is sliced, ready to be served.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07Lovely, eh?
0:53:12 > 0:53:15The courtyard is cleared and being turned into an elegant setting
0:53:15 > 0:53:18for Raymond's discerning guests.
0:53:18 > 0:53:23- In the kitchen, things aren't going quite so smoothly.- Aha.
0:53:23 > 0:53:27Oh la la. Oh la la. Oh la la...
0:53:27 > 0:53:30I've never seen it happen like that, never in my life.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33It's so hot, I've never seen that.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37It's been nearly 30 years
0:53:37 > 0:53:40since Raymond worked in a kitchen this small.
0:53:40 > 0:53:44In my restaurant, we've got 42 chefs.
0:53:44 > 0:53:45Here, I've got two!
0:53:45 > 0:53:47And it's nearly 50 years
0:53:47 > 0:53:51since Raymond first fell in love with the food of Provence.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54That reconnects me with my first experience
0:53:54 > 0:53:56and the world was to be discovered.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08As the guests arrive, nothing remains for Raymond
0:54:08 > 0:54:12but to hope that passion in his chosen menu will bring joy to their tables.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17First course - the bouillabaisse terrine presented with
0:54:17 > 0:54:19a drizzle of saffron oil.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22Normally, the bouillabaisse, it's a soup
0:54:22 > 0:54:27and so that's the reason why it is... C'est surprenant.
0:54:27 > 0:54:33- The fish is perfect. Perfect, perfect.- It's really surprising.
0:54:33 > 0:54:38And colourful and really fresh.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40- Kush, ready?- Yes, Chef.- Excellent.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43One course down and well-received.
0:54:43 > 0:54:44Keeping things on track,
0:54:44 > 0:54:49the fish course is lightly fried in olive oil...
0:54:49 > 0:54:52and will be presented with two local dishes -
0:54:52 > 0:54:54barigoule - artichoke stew -
0:54:54 > 0:54:58and ratatouille - another local staple.
0:54:58 > 0:54:59Then, the final touches.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02The braised fennel with the controversial choice
0:55:02 > 0:55:04of the red wine jus for the fish.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07More flavour. The fennel.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11- They are beautiful, come on - don't be so mean.- Yes, Chef.
0:55:11 > 0:55:15There is nothing worse than meanness for a chef, OK?
0:55:15 > 0:55:17Apart from being a murderer, maybe.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20- Chef.- Service, s'il vous plait.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30Just delicious. I think red wine goes very well with the fish.
0:55:31 > 0:55:35It's very disorientating, obviously. I love it.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38Actually, it's very good to drink red wine also with this fish -
0:55:38 > 0:55:42it's very nice, it goes very well together,
0:55:42 > 0:55:47so I think it's a great idea.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49See, that's a Frenchman,
0:55:49 > 0:55:53who has mopped the sauce completely with the bread!
0:55:53 > 0:55:55Wonderful. It still doesn't diminish, that pleasure,
0:55:55 > 0:55:58after so many years. It doesn't.
0:55:58 > 0:56:02Then, that Provencal speciality made from aromatic milk -
0:56:02 > 0:56:06Brousse de Rove goats' cheese, drizzled with honey.
0:56:06 > 0:56:10And with a nod to the years Raymond has spent cooking in England,
0:56:10 > 0:56:12home-made apricot chutney.
0:56:12 > 0:56:17I love this idea of teasing some of my Provencal friends.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20A bit of good English chutney, no? Voila.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27As the meal progresses, so the guests' pleasure increases.
0:56:31 > 0:56:36The finale - the fragrant red fruit dessert featuring the sorbet
0:56:36 > 0:56:39and delicate, crunchy raspberry tuile.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41Sorbet first. Put the tuile last, OK?
0:56:41 > 0:56:44- There's more macerated fruit there. - Merci, ma belle.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49Raymond has forgotten to add the legendary Provencal
0:56:49 > 0:56:52wild strawberries, but it's not too late.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58It's a little restaurant, it's like being home for me.
0:56:58 > 0:57:01For me, it's very good
0:57:01 > 0:57:03and of course this is perfect!
0:57:05 > 0:57:07Amazing experience, you know.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10I really like... What do you say in English?
0:57:10 > 0:57:14This is typically English, I think -
0:57:14 > 0:57:17- la gelee?- Jelly?- Jelly.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19For me, a surprising experience,
0:57:19 > 0:57:23because I'm afraid about this kind of product, but it was nice.
0:57:24 > 0:57:29Clean plates and happy faces mean that it's been challenging,
0:57:29 > 0:57:31but ultimately rewarding.
0:57:31 > 0:57:33It's been quite a day.
0:57:33 > 0:57:37But it's been very rewarding as well.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40We all have learned a great deal.
0:57:41 > 0:57:45All that remains to be done is to wipe down the kitchen.
0:57:45 > 0:57:50And soak up a well-earned round of Provencal applause.
0:57:50 > 0:57:55Well done, OK? Et serveurs. Ces jeunes!
0:57:55 > 0:57:57APPLAUSE
0:58:23 > 0:58:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd