James Martin's French Adventures
10 x 30 mins ITV 1
TV has asked Blue Marlin to make a peak time version of our hit Daytime series.
We are so excited to be able to bring the show to a different part of the ITV schedule and obviously hope to find some new fans for the series there. Peak viewers will also be able to look forward to our American Adventure, coming to Daytime in early 2018, which will air in the evenings too later in the same year.
Episode 1 - St Émilion Episode Synopsis
James's first stop on his French Adventure takes him back to the place that inspired his passion for food, St Émilion. He visits the legendary Chateau Cheval Blanc to cook up his first dish and sample a glass or two, before going back to the kitchens of L'Hostellerie Plaisance, where he worked as a lad more than 30 years ago. There he enjoys a meal, overlooking the picturesque town before rounding off his trip down memory lane by cooking amongst the vines of an award-winning vineyard.
Episode 2 - Languedoc
James visits Languedoc - famous for its wine and the hearty meaty dish, cassoulet. After stopping at a roadside fruit stall run by some British ex pats, James uses some great local produce to create an unusual first dish with Melon and Onion Rings! He and the crew stay at an 18th century coach house where hosts Mike and Val cook the team a feast using local ingredients. James treats himself to a wander around a very special museum dedicated to Citroën 2CVs and turns up the heat with a steak cooked on a barbecue in the blazing sunshine.
Episode 3 - Charente
James's French Adventure takes him to picturesque Charente. He starts his journey in the heart of the Cognac region. Inspired by a visit to a distillery, James uses Cognac for his first al fresco cook. James meets a miller who still uses traditional methods to make award-winning brioche loaves. He then creates a superb salad which incorporates some of the region's best produce, including the brilliant brioche.
Episode 4 - Annecy
James's French Adventure leads him to the beautiful lakeside town of Annecy, where he wanders around the market to select ingredients for his first cook. On the stunning shore of Annecy's crystal clear lake, James cooks dishes showcasing delicious local tomatoes, red mullet and lobster. James next stop is to visit the award winning pastry chef Philippe Rigollot to sample of his extraordinary creations.
Episode 5 - Jura
Heading eastwards, James's French Adventure takes him to the region of Jura. Local famer, Matthew Tissot shows James around his beautiful orchard and teaches him about the region's remarkable apples and pears. James barbeques duck on an accompanied by a spicy apple and pear chutney, using fruit from Matthew's orchard. Next James visits Fort des Rousses, home to one of France's most popular cheeses, Comte, where he is shown around the extraordinary corridors of the fort. James then cooks pork chops with Vichy style carrots in a remote location.
Episode 6 - Bresse
On this leg of his French Adventure, James heads to Bresse, home to one France's most famous ingredients: The Bresse chicken. After a peruse around the impressive Louhans market, James cooks using the region's revered chicken in his sumptuous Chicken Blanquette. James goes to a chicken farm and museum to meet some of the chickens and learn just why they are so special. But they prove elusive, as if they know a chef can't be trusted! James then gets to meet one of his human culinary heroes, Georges Blanc, owner of his eponymous 3 Michelin star restaurant where James gets a little star struck!
Episode 7 - St Tropez
James's journey though France leads him to the glitz and glamour of St. Tropez. He starts by exploring the fantastic seafood market in search of ingredients for his first dish. Cooking, in true St Tropez style, aboard a yacht, James makes the most of the local seafood cooking it, en papillotte. After exploring the town, James drops in on an old friend, Michel Roux. Together they knock up a rather special barbeque and James cooks for Michel using ingredients from his garden.
Episode 8 - Camargue
James's culinary tour of France leads him to the distinct and diverse region of The Camargue. He begins his exploration at Les Marquises, the Laurent family's farm, where James learns all about the Camargue Bull. James then barbeques a local fish, which he serves with squash chutney for the family. James meets Michelin starred chef Armand Arnal who shows him around his impressive gardens and lets him pick ingredients for his next dish, stuffed courgette flowers..
Episode 9 - Isle Sur la Sorgue
James's journey has brought him to the adopted home of his food hero Keith Floyd – the pretty riverside town of Isle Sur La Sorgue, where Floyd once had a restaurant. Buying produce from its floating market, and a Floyd-style hat, James sets up his mobile kitchen on a bridge overlooking the river, and cooks peaches pain perdu in the sunshine. Floyd wasn't the only Brit to be drawn to the area. Heading back in the direction of Isle Sur La Sorgue, James samples some truffle-laden dishes at renowned restaurant La Beaugraviere, and makes another dish beside the river – scallops with tomatoes and chorizo – and finds some British tourists to taste his efforts.
Episode 10 - Paris
James's French adventure brings him to one of his favourite cities in the world – Paris. The home of café culture, Paris has so much to offer. But it's an early start, because he's off to one of the largest wholesale food markets in Europe – Rungis, at four in the morning. He tours the vast array of produce that's being shipped off around the world, and sets up a cooking station in one of the warehouses to whip up a dish of chicken and mushrooms using ingredients straight off the pallet. He also cooks up a duck breast, complemented by tangy vegetables and chilli sauce. Paris is home to both artisans and fine dining. And James is lucky enough to visit the kitchens of world renowned chef Pierre Gagnaire.