Recalling his first visit in the early 1980s, bleary-eyed from a long shift helming predecessor restaurant Les Quat’Saisons, he said: “I was leafing through Country Life magazine and saw the house for sale. After numerous espressos, I got into my old Vauxhall to speak with the owner, Lady Cromwell. I explained that I wanted to buy her house.”
Somewhat cynical that this overly caffeinated young man would have the funds to buy her rambling property, which was desperately in need of repair, “she became flushed when I told her my name and left to make tea. Returning, she said: ‘Yes, Monsieur Blanc. I will sell you my house’. Her decision was based on a previous family visit to my restaurant, when she was impressed by the kindness and knowledge of my team”.
At that time, Britain was deep in recession. Using his renowned reputation to fundraise, Blanc retained 51 per cent of the business. By the time the old manor house had been renovated, the cost was more than £1 million over budget. It initially opened with 10 bedrooms. Within a year, the restaurant had been awarded a Michelin star; the second followed soon after.
Blanc quickly realised that the bedrooms were generating twice as much profit as the restaurant and decided to triple the size of Le Manoir. His friend Martin Skan, one of the two brothers behind the luxury New Forest’s hit hotel Chewton Glen, recommended surrounding himself with the best in the business, leading to the recruitment of head pastry chef Benoit Blin, who he wooed away from France in 1995.
Source link : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/oxfordshire/how-le-manoir-aux-quatsaisons-changed-british-hotels/
Author :
Publish date : 2024-05-29 13:59:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.