Meet Anne-Sophie Pic, the 7-star chef
In 2017, Anne-Sophie Pic became the world’s most Michelin-starred chef, with 4 restaurants in Valence, Lausanne, Paris and London. Since this consecration, his cuisine has continued to shine around the world… Meet this great lady of French gastronomy.
What are the origins of your passion?
My childhood was open to discovery and taste, because I could see my parents doing a fulfilling job. Even though it’s very addictive. They worked a lot and I lived next door to them, tasting and discovering many flavors… My father always taught me that “experience isn’t passed on, it’s acquired”. However, he inspired a passion in me that continues to this day, nourishing the way I approach my cooking.
Your cult recipe?
Berlingots! I use them in each of my establishments, each time drawing inspiration from the local terroir. They are very symbolic of my cooking and, I would say, the quintessence of it.
Your sources of inspiration?
My sources of inspiration are always the products and the craftsmen who work them. I really need to be in direct contact with the people who create them and their stories, so I can make them my own and introduce them into my cooking. When I travel, I always set out to discover markets. I also ask my market gardeners and suppliers to let me know what’s new. To enrich my product repertoire a little more every day.
Your Proust madeleine?
I’d say the asparagus dish my dad used to serve me, accompanied by a hollandaise… For me, it’s the comfort dish par excellence and I like to rework it to offer it on the menu of my restaurants, with original flavor combinations.
An unspoken (culinary) pleasure?
Chocolate!
What’s your best memory of cooking?
The few weeks I was able to spend with my father in the summer of 1992, when I decided to join him in the kitchen. One of my fondest memories is of meeting Monsieur Paul, and the delicate phrase he wrote to me in one of his letters, which still moves me deeply today: “Anne-Sophie, the Brazier mother of the 21st century”…
What does Paris represent in your gastronomic career?
A crucial step! With my restaurant La Dame de Pic (opened in Paris in 2012), we wanted to bring my world and my creations to a wider audience than those who had the opportunity to visit Valence. More recently, I opened the Daily Pic in Beaupassage, with the same thought process. After opening the first store in Valence, I wanted to make healthy, gourmet cuisine, served in verrines and 100% simmered in the Drôme, accessible to as many people as possible… Paris was an obvious opening onto the gastronomic sphere, a broadening of our culinary vision on a grand scale.
What do you think of the Parisian gastronomic scene?
Things are moving fast in Paris! Every day, we discover a new address with an innovative concept, an original approach… We have to take this into account, so that we never stop questioning ourselves, whether it’s our proposal or our vision of things, which has to evolve according to the Parisian gastronomic scene.
Your favorite restaurants for dining in the capital?
– Shirvan café Métisse, by Akrame, for an exotic taste journey right in the heart of the capital.
– Caffè Stern, for the unique setting of this former engraving studio, and the excellent cuisine of my friends, the Alajmo family.
– Pierre Sang’s restaurants, for the unexpected discoveries and experiences they offer.
– Kitchen ter(re) by William Ledeuil, for his work with pasta by Roland Feuillas.
A current project?
The opening of our next Dame de Pic in Singapore at the Raffles! It’s a project I’m very excited about, as it will be my first establishment in Asia, a region of the world I’m particularly fond of for its culture and products. I’m really looking forward to going there to discover new things that will help me anchor the menu I’ll be proposing in Singapore’s terroir.
La Dame de Pic, 20 Rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris & Daily Pic Beaupassage, 55 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris.
