A Michelin star was awarded to Anne-Sophie Pic's Megève restaurant within nine months of its opening.

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There are few luxury ski hotels as luxuriant as Four Seasons Megève, situated in the French Alps on the Mont d'Arbois slopes. While it has a great deal to offer in terms of Alpine adventure, it is also a culinary destination in its own right, with three restaurants in spite of its small size. The newest outpost of Anne-Sophie Pic, La Dame de Pic, Le 1920, is its crowning jewel.

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After opening under the Pic name in June 2021, its flagship restaurant received its first Michelin star within nine months, adding to the list of accolades chef Pic has received over the years.  

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La Dame de Pic, Le 1920, like all of Pic's restaurants, is a boldly flavored food experiment that emphasizes bitter, smoked, and roasted elements.

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Despite this, each of her destinations uses the native products of its surrounding landscape, making them the real differences between her outposts.

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Although the restaurant is extremely prestigious, it is neither fussy nor formal despite its price. The staff is welcoming and friendly, and they don't shy away from a joke or two, despite the prestige and price. It proves that fancy fine-dining and unpretentiousness aren't mutually exclusive at La Dame de Pic, Le 1920.  

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Chef

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In her flagship restaurant in Valence, Pic boasts three Michelin stars, making her the most starred female chef in the world. Her nine Michelin stars across five restaurants make her the most starred female chef in the world.

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She is a descendant of the Pic family, with both her father and grandfather earning a Michelin star each for the family restaurant, Maison de Pic, which opened in 1934. As a result of her father's sudden death, and the loss of the stars at his restaurant, Pic took over the kitchen only after the unexpected death.

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Although Pic had previously studied business, she had no formal culinary training, yet she restored the family restaurant to its former glory despite having no formal training in the field. She earned three stars in 2007 and has since opened restaurants in London and Singapore as well as across France.

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Even though Pic is on the menu, Alexandre Alves Pereira is the chef de cuisine and oversees the dishes that come out of the kitchen each day. Pereira works closely with Pic to produce dishes that capture both Pic's signature and recognizable style as well as the unique bounty of the Alpine region.

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Menu

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Although La Dame de Pic offers an a la carte menu, it is best to try out the tasting menu. Creating an intriguing wine pairing at the Four Seasons Megève is an adventure in itself, thanks to sommeliers Samy and Alexis, who dig through the hotel's extensive cellar. Almost every bottle is French, but you'll find a funky Alpine Gringet, a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and a homemade black tea concoction among the surprises.

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With a pop of yuzu and geranium and a delicate tomato tartlet, the (about) seven-course menu sets the stage for the gourmet journey to come. Among the three appetizers, the delicate rosettes of gin-cured fera and cucumber chunks served in a milk vinaigrette stand out, but Les Berlingots stand out as well.

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Each Pic's restaurant serves the tiny pasta parcels in a different color and filling, despite the fact that the dish is a permanent fixture. Megève's green striped berlingots are stuffed with a surprising hit of absinthe and creamy Beaufort and Abondance cheeses. The lip-smackingly tart tomato broth they serve in is crucial to cut through the knockout Beaufort cheese.

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The main courses feature the best French produce: a flakey slab of Arctic Char, mopped in whiskey and accompanied by grilled leeks, and an Aubrac-Wagyu infused with mint and cognac and accompanied by candied eggplant.

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In La Dame de Pic restaurants, one dish remains the same: the exquisite Sea bass with caviar. With a cloud of champagne foam and a generous dollop of caviar, Anne-Sophie's father first served the delicate poached seabass in 1971. Using sake and rose, Anne-Sophie's updated version adds a new level of flavor to the fluffy sauce.

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There is a real divide among the crowds over the cheese course, with foamed vanilla-infused brie not to everyone's taste. However, it tastes better with the nutty, malty bread. Le millefeuille blanc is a must-try dessert. A light meringue mousse flavored with leatherwood honey covers layers of flaky, buttery pastry and tart blackcurrants that are hidden within. An evening of gourmet delights would not be complete without this millefeuille.

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Interior

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In the same manner as the rest of the Four Seasons Megève, La Dame de Pic 1920 is furnished by Pierre-Yves Rochon. On their way to the beautifully finished, 40-seat dining room, diners pass through the open kitchen, where chefs prepare from the early hours.

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Creating a space that can withstand the incredible Alpine views beyond is no easy task, but Rochon has done it with elegance. In keeping with the elevated chalet-style finish, a neutral color scheme with subtle orange flashes complements the interior, while art is subtly pared back to allow the stunning view to take center stage, framed by staggeringly high windows.

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This is a stylish and undeniably accomplished property that still exudes the charming coziness of the Alps when the weather is fine.