Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman

In the first episode Raymond Blanc returns to his home region of Franche Comte in north east France to visit the people who inspired him, including his 89-year-old Maman Blanc, who instilled in him a love of cooking from a very early age. He then prepares a feast inspired by the distinctive produce and cuisine of that region and cooks professionally for the first time ever in France. It's an emotional and challenging journey for Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman.

Raymond goes to Burgundy, an unmissable destination for fine food and wine lovers, where he picks the best grapes, eats 3 Michelin star snails, and is tempted back to the simple life of a rustic farmhouse where he cooks a feast made up of his versions of Burgundy's favourite dishes.

Raymond loosens his belt to fill his belly with the hearty food of the gastronomic city of Lyon. He visits France's most famous chef, samples chicken and chocolate made for presidents, and cooks a feast for some of France's most vociferous food critics.

Raymond heads to the German border and the picturesque region of Alsace, where he will cook for the locals, who are known for their hospitality and hearty appetites. From the best wine makers to jam makers, Raymond scours the region for its finest ingredients to impress his Alsatian guests.

In this episode, Raymond heads to sun-soaked Provence, where he stages perhaps the most ambitious feast of the series. The local food and cuisine were a revelation to Raymond as a young boy, and remain a huge influence on his cooking today.