Chef Anne-Sophie Pic.
Anne-Sophie belongs to a family of legendary chefs. The family history begins with her grandmother Sophie and continues with her grandfather André Pic, who, in 1934, received his first Michelin star at the Auberge du Pin. Later, her father, Jacques Pic, the famous chef in charge of the Hotel Restaurant Pic de Valence, regained the coveted stars in 1973.
One could say that such legacy was an enormous responsibility for Ann-Sophie, but that was not the case, at least not from the start. She remembers perfectly how, as a little girl, her father kept asking if she wanted to pursue the family business. She would always give an evasive answer remembering her mother´s advice: “This work is very hard and if you end up doing it, it will be because you are not capable of anything else”.
It was an awkward dichotomy: to disappoint her mother or please her father. Time and maturity gave her the means to satisfy both. When she came of age, Ann-Sophie went to study international trade at the Institut Supérieure de Gestion in Paris, and later traveled the world with her husband, whom she met during her student years. She discovered Japan and the immense variety of its cuisine. She also held an administrative position at Moët & Chandon until one day she made the decision to return to the family restaurant.
Ann-Sophie went to her father and told him she wanted to take over the kitchen. After her father´s death, a few months later, she found herself alone under the suspicious gaze of her older brother and a staff of men who didn’t approve of her lack of experience. She was 28 years old, but she did not flinch. The young entrepreneur faced all the obstacles and became the head chef of Maison Pic. From that moment, she began a period of continued success that culminated when, at age 38, she received her final third Michelin stars.
Maison Pic
The food she cooks at her restaurant reflects her sense of instinct, a properly understood incitement; an artistic and sublime conception of gastronomy that exalts a striking and elegant combination of flavors. Anne-Sophie Pic is open to novel and inventive culinary challenges, but never forgets what is essential: taste.
At Maison Pic, the dining room has been completely remodeled to showcase Anne-Sophie’s kitchen. It is distributed in three different areas: a dining room with round tables for privacy, a second room where the square tables flanked by large sofas create a feeling of closeness, and finally a rotunda lined with pink satin padding, which accentuates the quiet sensation and the subtle lighting. Maison Pic is an unforgettable place directed by a unique woman. ■
