Resplendent in a red, white and blue bow tie, Raymond Blanc strides into his restaurant in Jericho looking tanned, healthy and trim. He is excited, greeting his guests and charging around like Obelix on a wild boar hunt.

And why not? Because this is his moment - 21 years in the making - since the Frenchman first opened the doors of what was then Le Petit Blanc.

Raymond is not here to gloat however, but to celebrate with his friends, former staff and loyal clientele. Because although the Brasserie Blanc chain is now enormously successful, it has had its ups and downs, and Raymond says he has learnt many harsh lessons along the way.

“I am as proud of Brasserie Blanc as I am of Le Manoir. Yes Le Manoir is totally unique and has produced 38 Michelin starred chefs but they share the same values and I care about both sides of my businesses and nurture them all.”

There are now 18 Brasserie Blancs under his mantle, the 19th opening in Fulham in June, as well as a chain of affiliated pubs: “I’m very proud. When your dream becomes your vision you have won. And then you have something,” he tells me before the lavish three course dinner commences.

And yet, neither Raymond nor I will ever forget the interview we conducted when Le Petit Blanc went into administration and was partially bought out by Loch Fyne in 2004, to prevent it from going under. “You know what? I’m glad it happened in many ways because it changed me and I learnt about humility. It took a long time though. Like getting a Frenchman to laugh at himself,” he chuckles.

“We took on two restaurants at the wrong price and it crippled us. But you learn. You have to have good business managers to make the vision happen because the margins are so thin and we refuse to compromise on ingredients.

“But you can’t do everything on your own. And instead it’s meant that we have created this”, he says gesturing around him, “and got to where we are now.”

“I’m not pretending it wasn’t hard. You take it personally, of course you do. Because when you create something from scratch, you love all of it, and you work like a dog to make it happen. But I’ve never had airs and graces. I don’t act like a demi god, but I am proud.”

So did he ever consider throwing in the Brasserie Blanc towel? “ Mais non. Never,” he roars. “I’m an optimist and that’s what keeps me going, whatever the harsh lessons in life. You get up in the morning, stand up and get back to your station, and that’s what I’ve always been like.”

Oxford was the first in the chain, now 21 years old, which in this day and age it’s quite something - bucking the trends, fads and a recession to provide Jericho with what is essentially a brilliant neighbourhood brasserie, fashioned on Raymond’s mother, the famous Maman Blanc.

So what’s does Raymond think is the secret to it’s abiding success? “Everything is home cooked, I’m not sure everyone knows about that, but it’s true. It’s not the kind of chain where it’s all cooked up in one big pot and then shipped around the country. Plus it’s good value, honest, local food, but more than that it’s consistent. And of course service is everything.”And he’s right, because I’ve never had a bad meal there.

Sustainability and organic food is another Raymond mantra, and he was way ahead of his time, still is actually with his huge gardens at Le Manoir supplying so much of its produce. It’s a banner he refuses to put down until the battle is won.

He puts his obsession down to growing up in Franche-Comte with Maman Blanc cooking superb food grown by his father in the garden.“I used to hate it,” Raymond laughs. “Because when my friends were out playing I was always in the garden. Maman wouldn’t just ask me to dig up some potatoes but would choose the type depending on what we were eating, what was seasonal.....” he says incredulously.

“So here I am. I’m still got a French accent and I’m still a boy from Besancon in my heart. I know who I am. There’s no mistaking that,” he laughs. “But I have been welcomed by Oxford over the past 46 years. It is my home and that’s a beautiful thing.”