Elite Traveler Summer 2019

INSPIRE TOP 100 RESTAURANTS CHEF OF THE YEAR Anne-Sophie Pic

O n a blustery day in London, I meet Anne- Sophie Pic in the elegant Art Deco-style bar at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, where her restaurant, La Dame de Pic London (this year's number 96), is located. It’s the morning after their International Women’s Day dinner; Pic invited Clare Smyth (of Core, Elite Traveler 's highest new entry this year at 50) to collaborate on a special menu to celebrate the event. It was a huge success, with a full house (and a full kitchen of 22 chefs) and an electric atmosphere. Despite this, Pic assures me that all was quiet in the kitchen. Her soft-spoken, calm and humble demeanor attests to this, so it is interesting to hear her talk about how she champions using her emotions in her work, since displaying emotion (especially in a professional environment) is often seen as a derogatory trait — particularly in women. She believes emotion can be a good thing, not just for the cuisine but in every aspect — from the wine pairing to the service. She certainly doesn’t hold back her unabashed joy at winning this year’s Chef of the Year award: “I’m so happy! I’m very honored. It’s beautiful news; it means that we succeed in the restaurant and that people are happy to come. It’s my work, but it is also the work of the whole team. It means a lot to me.” It is natural that emotion is so important to her craft; her family’s culinary history is the stuff of legend. Her great-grandparents, Eugene and Sophie Pic, opened Maison Pic in Valence, France in 1889 and, under the guidance of their son Andre Pic (Anne-Sophie Pic's grandfather), the restaurant gained the coveted three- Michelin-star status in 1939. Pic grew up in the restaurant, where her father, Jacques, also served as chef. Despite initially branching away from the family legacy (she studied and worked in management roles abroad in Japan and the US), she returned to Maison Pic in 1992 to learn the ropes under her father. Sadly, Pic's father passed away three months later and, in another blow, Maison Pic lost its third Michelin star. She was determined to gain back her ‘father’s star’ and returned to the kitchen once again, despite having no formal training. She succeeded in her mission and in 2007, Maison Pic was once again awarded the three-star status, almost 68 years after the first honor. It is clear that Pic doesn’t rest on her laurels or any form of nepotism, and