Raymond Blanc

One of the nicest chefs we've ever had the pleasure of welcoming to Charlotte Square Gardens ? he even made up a special recipe for us on the spot after his event (see our blog). Here he tells his remarkable life story, which took him from a boyhood collecting frogs' legs in rural France to a career as one of the top chefs in the world. And after all this time his wholehearted enthusiasm and passion for food has not diminished, as evidenced by this sold-out event.

Loading the player... if your browser supports audio and video it should appear in a few moments.
Download MP3

Book Festival News

Celebrating the 2024 Book Festival Celebrating the 2024 Book Festival
Monday 26 August

Enjoying this event? You can help us produce more like it.

Donate

Share

Listen to more

Allan Radcliffe reading Chicago Allan Radcliffe reading Chicago Edinburgh-based Allan Radcliffe reads his contribution to our Elsewhere series of stories… Ben Mezrich (2011 Event) Ben Mezrich (2011 Event) His last book was adapted to become The Social Network, one of the most successful movies of 2010. Mezrich then turned his attention to another strange-but-true American tale in his novel Sex on the Moon… Andrew Marr Andrew Marr The hugely admired Scottish broadcaster Andrew Marr talks to Iain Macwhirter about Scotland, politics and life in general in one of our fastest selling events of 2007… Shirin Ebadi (2016 Event) Shirin Ebadi (2016 Event) The first Muslim woman and first Iranian to win a Nobel Peace Prize, Shirin Ebadi is a leading lawyer and activist who has campaigned fearlessly for freedom of speech and equality before the law in her country, despite being betrayed politically and… Sean Connery talks to Murray Grigor Sean Connery talks to Murray Grigor On his 78th birthday, 25 August 2008, Edinburgh-born international film legend Sean Connery launches his long-awaited book Being A Scot with his co-author and friend Murray Grigor at the Book Festival. Here he chats about a wide range of subjects with… Salman Rushdie (2013 event) Salman Rushdie (2013 event) In 1983, Salman Rushdie was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for his novel Shame and named among Granta’s inuagural Best of Young British Novelists… Etgar Keret & Alain Mabanckou (2015 Event) Etgar Keret & Alain Mabanckou (2015 Event) Hear two internationally acclaimed novelists who now turn their hands to memoir. Etgar Keret was declared ‘a genius’ by the New Yorker: The Seven Good Years, translated into English… Anne Applebaum: Democracy Under Siege (2020 Event) Anne Applebaum: Democracy Under Siege (2020 Event) ‘Given the right conditions, any society can turn against democracy. Indeed, if history is anything to go by, all of our societies eventually will.’ Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Anne Applebaum’s bleak prognosis for liberal democracy lies at the heart of… Eleanor Thom reading Sassuolo Eleanor Thom reading Sassuolo The young Glasgow-based writer reads her contribution to our Elsewhere project - a collection of new writing on the theme of Elsewhere… David Campbell David Campbell David Campbell describes his varied working life from English Lit teacher to BBC broadcaster to Celtic storyteller, culminating in his world travels with friend and hero "tinker" storyteller Duncan Williamson, in this lively chat during the 2009…