3 ready-made French menus from top chefs

Thea Everett

Deputy editor (audiences) Thea loves to be in the kitchen and has a particular interest in cooking on a budget and deep frying. She thinks Sri Lankan and Indian food is the food of the gods. Discover her recipes and tune in to our Instagram feed, which she runs on a daily basis.

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If a taste of France isn’t literally on the cards, bring a flavour of the country’s regional cooking to your table with these three menus from top French chefs. Get dinner party ready with Michel Roux Jr, whip up a weekend feast with Raymond Blanc, or prepare an afternoon tea to remember with Manon Lagrève’s big hit bakes. Whether you need something with wow factor or you want a meal to comfort, these three-course menus offer something for everyone.

3 ready-made French menus from top chefs

The Manon Lagrève afternoon tea menu

The French know how to do patisserie, and if there’s anyone to show you how it’s Great British Bake Off legend Manon Lagrève. We love this menu if you’re having friends over for afternoon tea. The beignets are like a cross between a doughnut and an apple fritter, and doused in sugar they’re a treat that’ll light up eyes. The French coffee shop staple, mini canelés, are toothsome and custardy and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. Finally, a slice of Manon’s pear and tonka bean tart will finish things on a sweet and warm note. Add our Saint Agur gougères to the party if you need something savoury à table.

The Michel Roux Jr dinner party menu

The master, the don, Michel Roux Jr’s menu is hit after hit after hit. The main course is hearty in the best way: trout with beurre blanc (see the tips for the fish recipe) served with a king of potato dishes, the one and only Lyonnaise potato cake, in which potatoes are baked, then mixed with slow-cooked onions, crème fraîche and a sprinkling of nutmeg. The ideal make-ahead side dish. Finally, Michel’s poached pears with chocolate sauce are the kind of dinner party dessert we love because they’re ready in 40 minutes and don’t require armfuls of ingredients.

The Raymond Blanc weekend menu

This laid-back menu is ideal for early autumn, because it still has a fresh lightness about the dishes but it’s hearty enough to leave you full. Begin with poached artichoke with vinaigrette – it’s elegant but simple to put together and will make a weekend meal feel that bit special. For the main, Raymond’s pan-fried sea bass is served on a bed of ratatouille, and we think you’ll agree fish goes beautifully with this summer vegetable stew. For dessert, this apricot and almond tart is proof, if it were needed, that cooked apricots are the nectar of the gods.