By ROYAL appointment

RAYMOND BLANC on his tour of palace gardens

- ELAINE REILLY

RAYMOND BLANC'S ROYAL KITCHEN GARDENS 
NEW SUNDAY, 11.30AM, ITV1 FACTUAL

Sporting pristine chef whites, Raymond Blanc couldn’t be happier as he joins TV Times from his Michelin-starred Oxfordshire restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons for a chat about his dual passions – delicious fresh food and sustainability.

In his new ITV1 show Raymond Blanc’s Royal Kitchen Gardens, the self-taught French culinary master is embarking on a tour of five spectacular outdoor spaces that embrace the principles of a fellow avid horticulturist and champion of the environment, His Majesty King Charles III.

‘I have huge admiration for the King’s achievements. My garden here contains similar values to these royal houses – clean, pure, in-season food,’ smiles the always-charming Raymond, 74, as he regales us with tales from filming the 10-part series. ‘I’m very excited by this show, it’s very much about what I love and do.’

Historic locations on his itinerary include Highgrove House and the Castle of Mey, where he meets the people who tend to the properties’ unique and thriving green spaces as well as the palace chefs who use the gardens to source ingredients to create mouth-watering meals.

Here, in an exclusive interview, which took place prior to King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, Raymond tells us more…

It must have been exciting to get behind-the-scenes access to palace kitchen gardens to make this series, Raymond?