Top chefs to celebrate US food

Seven of the USA's best chefs will celebrate their nation's cuisine at a week-long festival to be held at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons restaurant next spring.

The event, the American Food Revolution, is being held at the restaurant, in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, from 15 to 21 April.

The US chefs taking part will be: Nobu Matsuhisa (Nobu); Alice Waters (Chez Panisse); Charlie Palmer (Aureole); Daniel Boulud (Restaurant Daniel); Patrick O'Connell (the Inn at Little Washington); Charlie Trotter (Charlie Trotter's); and Thomas Keller (French Laundry).

The names of the British and French chefs also attending will be announced early next year.

The event will celebrate the creativity and influence of American chefs on cuisine and lifestyle throughout the world.

Blanc, chef-patron of Le Manoir, said: "France has created an empire of food and lifestyle that it has exported across the world, based on tradition, craft and produce. But if tradition remains static, this is likely to die.

"The great customs, leaders and chefs of tomorrow may not come from France, but from countries where there are no great traditions of food - such as the UK, USA and Australia."

For tickets and further information, contact Le Manoir on: 01844 278881.