WOMAN POWER
THE CHEF
Only the very best chefs in the world can aspire to achieve the internationally recognised accolade of three Michelin stars. They are the coveted symbol of exceptional cuisine, and until recently the acclaim of triple stardom was an exclusively masculine preserve. Not any more. Earlier this year a woman broke through the ranks and triumphed as the first female chef in 56 years to be given Michelin’s top rating.
She is a 37-year-old French woman, Anne-Sophie Pic, and her success is all the more remarkable because she is the fourth generation of her family to cook at Maison Pic- the hotel-restaurant in Valence started by her great grandfather.
Mme Pic had no formal training in cooking, apart from working alongside her talented father who also achieved three star status as a chef.
After his death, her brother ran the restaurant, but when he moved away, she took over.
She hopes her success might encourage others to try and emulate her. ‘I would like to see many more women chefs. If this could inspire more girls to take up the profession, that would be marvellous’, she says. And Mme Pic has just been named ‘Chef of the Year’ by the highly respected French gourmet magazine Le Chef.