The celebrated French chef has teamed up with PAUL Bakery on two limited-edition baguettes, bringing roast beef, Brie and a generous dose of French flavour to lunchtime.
There are few things the French take quite as seriously as good bread, so a collaboration between Raymond Blanc OBE and PAUL Bakery feels like the perfect fit.
The French chef has teamed up with the family-run bakery for a new autumn collection, creating two limited-edition sandwiches: Le Boeuf Blanc and Le Brie Blanc. Launched on 13 September, both are served in PAUL’s freshly baked baguettes and are available across London, Oxford and Reading until 15 November.
It’s a meeting of two names steeped in French food tradition. PAUL was founded in 1889 and remains family-run five generations later, while Blanc has spent decades championing French cooking in Britain. His Oxfordshire restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, has retained two Michelin stars for 41 consecutive years.
So, what’s in the baguettes?
Le Boeuf Blanc (£8.95) layers tender roast beef with celeriac remoulade, horseradish and truffle oil – a distinctly French combination with plenty of richness and bite. For vegetarians, Le Brie Blanc (£8) marries Brie with sweet caramelised onions, marinated chicory, crushed walnuts, truffle oil and delicate ribbons of celery.
The recipes take their cue from the food Blanc grew up with in France, reflecting his signature approach to simple ingredients, seasonality and carefully balanced flavours. Truffle oil does much of the heavy lifting in elevating both sandwiches beyond the usual grab-and-go offering. As Blanc puts it, “A beautifully baked baguette, excellent seasonal ingredients and the right balance of flavour can turn lunch into something truly special” – and we absolutely second that.
“These recipes are rooted in the food I grew up with in France but created for how people eat today. It has been a joy to work with a family business that has protected its craft for five generations, and I hope each sandwich brings a little French pleasure to the day.”
Julia Powell, CEO of PAUL UK, said there was a “genuine affinity” between Blanc’s philosophy and the bakery’s own approach to French food.
“This collaboration brings his creativity and understanding of flavour together with the bread-making heritage that is at the heart of our family business,” she said. “The result is two exceptional sandwiches which feel unmistakably French and unmistakably PAUL.”
With impeccably fresh ingredients like celeriac remoulade and chicory, alongside liberal touches of autumn favourites like walnuts and truffle oil, these aren’t your standard grab-and-go baguettes. They’re unmistakably seasonal and decidedly French. Who knew a baguette could give you the same warm, fuzzy feeling as a bowl of soup on a gloomy day?
Key details
Where: All PAUL stores in London, Oxford and Reading
When: The PAUL x Raymond Blanc sandwiches are available to eat in or take away now until 15 November 2026
Website: www.paul-uk.com/raymond-blanc
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