The Culinary Trust goes European!

Raymond Blanc's restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, in Oxford , UK , provided the perfect setting for the launch of a new European dimension to the work of The Culinary Trust. On 31 st August 2005, Monsieur Blanc hosted a Culinary Trust dinner, which attracted many of the UK 's most respected food writers, journalists, broadcasters, and academics. The event marked the formation of a partnership between The Culinary Trust and Oxford Brookes University , the aim of which is to support students who have a passion for food issues, and to support the Endangered Treasures program in publicly accessible food-related archives, such as the Jane Grigson Collection of gastronomic texts.

Rosemary Barron, current IACP Treasurer/Secretary, chaired the evening. Speakers addressed the role that the restaurant sector should play in encouraging the supply to the public of high-quality local foods, and in promoting the development of the nation's taste in line with ethical principles. In addition, they reflected on the need for culinary matters to be at the centre of higher education programmes within the fields of hospitality and tourism management, such as those offered at Oxford Brookes University.

The speakers were:

Prue Leith – one of the UK 's most admired and recognizable figures from the food world. Her many achievements include the formation of Leith's School of Food and Wine, 1975-95; being cookery correspondent for many national newspapers; making numerous well-received television series; receiving the award of Veuve Cliquot Business Woman of the Year, 1990; and being awarded the Order of the British Empire , by the Queen, in 1989.

Sheila Dillon – presenter of BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme. Sheila has been broadcasting about the pleasures and politics of food and farming since the 1980s. She has gained immense respect, and won many awards for her investigative programmes on the origins of BSE, organic farming, bioengineered foods, and supermarket power.

Donald Sloan – Head of the Department of Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management at Oxford Brookes University , UK . Donald's Department is recognised internationally as a leading centre for food education, research, and consultancy. It has also developed a wonderful resource centre, where it holds the Fuller and Jane Grigson Collections of gastronomic texts, and it will soon take on the private collections of Prue Leith and Ken Hom.

Raymond Blanc – Raymond is acknowledged as one of the world's finest chefs. His exquisite cooking has received tributes from every national and international guide to culinary excellence. Raymond has held two Michelin Stars for over 25 years, and Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons was recently voted best hotel in the world for food by readers of Condé Nast Traveller 2005.

The Sponsors

The dinner was generously supported by Tim West, former Chairman of Avenance (one of Europe 's leading Foodservice Management companies, and by Elior (parent company of Avenance).

Tim West, himself a graduate of Oxford Brookes University , has held a number of top positions within the UK foodservice management sector. Prior to becoming Chairman of Avenance, he had been Managing Director, and then Chief Executive. Tim is a Fellow of the HCIMA, Chair of the Food Service Management panel of the British Hospitality Association, and a Freeman of the City of London .

The support of Tim West and Elior signifies a welcome (and still rather rare) commitment, by those in senior corporate positions, to addressing ethical issues within food production, supply, and consumption. Of particular significance is the sponsors' desire to remain engaged in the debate regarding such issues, and to maintain links with food writers, journalists and academics, all of which is extremely encouraging.

“When Jane Grigson (1928-1990) died, her friends, family, colleagues and admirers thought that an appropriate way to remember her would be the formation of a library of books on food and cooking, and their connection with society and culture. The core of the collection comprises the greater part of Jane Grigson's own library, which has been generously placed on permanent loan to the Trust by her daughter Sophie. Reflecting the breadth of Jane's interest, the titles cover a wide field, from and eighteenth century French Royal Decree on butchery inspectors to Edward Bunyard's Anatomy of Dessert, one of her favourite books. The collection contains some rare editions of nineteenth and twentieth century works on foods.” Oxford Brookes University , Bacchus , Issue 10, Summer 2005.

The Jane Grigson Trust holds the ninth and enlarged edition of Louis Eustache Ude's, “The French Cook. A system of fashionable and economical cookery, for the use of English families,” published in 1827 by W.H.Ainsworth, 23, Old Bond Street , London . Louis was ci-devant cook to Louis XVI, and the Earl of Sefton, and late steward to his late Royal Highness, the Duke of York.

According to the UK specialist bookseller, Liz Seeber, Ude's “The French Cook,” is "A scarce book in any edition. A chef in the grand manner, Ude was famous for his temper. The Times reported his defence in court after the Marquess of Queensbury had reported him for serving grouse out of season; even the French accent was transcribed with relish. Still better known is Ude's retort when a member of Crockford's, where he was a chef, questioned a six-penny charge for the sauce with his mullet: 'The imbecile, the damned imbecile apparently thinks that red mullet come out of the sea with my sauce in their pockets!'"

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