Gastronomy, a tool for French influence

Since 1954, the Comité Colbert has been defending and promoting French luxury expertise. Originally made up of 14 companies (including that of its founder Jean-Jacques Guerlain), the committee now boasts 90 members. A grand hotel (Hôtel Le Bristol), goldsmiths (Christofle and Puiforcat), craftsmen (Lenôtre, Dalloyau, and Potel & Chabot), restaurants (Taillevent) and chefs (Michel Guérard, Alain Ducasse, Guy Savoy, Joël Robuchon or Pierre Hermé...)Gastronomy is naturally well represented. The arrival of Anne-Sophie Pic and Yannick Alléno seemed just as natural. Meet us.

• Bénédicte Épinay, General Delegate & CEO, Comité Colbert

Gault&Millau: How does one join the Comité Colbert?

Bénédicte Épinay: There are two approaches. Sometimes we identify a chef, perceiving that his values are in harmony with ours, and we approach him. But in nine cases out of ten, the approach is the opposite. Every year, between 10 and 20 houses knock on our door, but the idea is not to bring in as many as possible, even though before my arrival, the numerus clausus was abolished, so not everyone can claim to be a member of the Comité Colbert. It's not a question of simple membership, but of a process that must be recognized by your peers. We don't claim to have all the chefs in France, just as we don't have all the champagne brands. It's the crème de la crème. Guidebook awards are not enough. They are not the only criteria for admission, even if it is a royal road.

G&M: Are these necessarily independent houses?

B.É.: Being a small independent house or part of a large group is not a selection criterion. We have all kinds of houses in our portfolio, some of which were born from the adventure of one man or one woman, and which today are owned by Chinese capital. Because that's the way life is, and to preserve know-how, entrepreneurs or bankers have gone looking for capital elsewhere than in France. On the other hand, the particularity of the Comité Colbert is that everyone has the same voice. Small and large alike.

G&M: What are the obligations of members?

B. É.There are no obligations. Apart from attending meetings, because if you don't, I don't see the point of joining. Then you take part in operations if you feel like it. Everyone is free. But in general, our members are very committed, and that's what motivates them to pay dues and join such a closed club. What's more, we're quite vigilant about letting in people who are just looking for a label.

• Yannick Alléno, chef at Ledoyen and 1947, Hôtel Cheval Blanc, 5 Toques

Gault&Millau: Why did you decide to join the Comité Colbert?

Yannick Alléno: It's always been a fascinating thing for me, and this membership symbolizes even more the success of the Ledoyen restaurant. We're already promoting France through our establishments abroad in Seoul, Marrakech and Dubai, and when we set up a new restaurant we have French porcelain and cutlery houses with us. So there's this synergy between the disciplines, and we absolutely have to march in close ranks to be able to conquer new markets and showcase our know-how.

G&M: How does this membership commit you?

Y.A.: Nothing, apart from being excellent. But it's important for us to get together on issues that concern us all. Around the table are representatives of some of the biggest houses, such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermès and so on. It's interesting to share our experiences of the economy and societal changes, because we restaurateurs need to draw inspiration from each other's experience. Here, we've made extraordinary progress in welcoming people with disabilities into our business. We've hired six of them today, and the restaurant industry needs to get involved in this area. We've had meetings with some of the biggest names in the business, notably L'Oréal, who helped us to take the plunge with their experience and reassure us that our approach was well-founded. There's real diversity on the Committee, and we're always smarter when there's more than one of us.

• Anne-Sophie Pic, chef at Pic restaurant, 4 toques

Gault&Millau: Why did you apply to the Comité Colbert?

Anne-Sophie Pic: It was a name that made our eyes sparkle, and perhaps for us an unattainable dream. In this house where four generations have succeeded one another, we've gained confidence in ourselves, so there was a kind of legitimacy in applying for the Comité Colbert.

G&M: Beyond prestige, what did you find there?

A.-S. P: Much more than I imagined. First of all, we gained notoriety, a form of recognition for our work and for the Pic family history. Then, as we exchanged ideas with the Committee, we realized just how valuable a help it can be for us as entrepreneurs, putting us in perspective with other companies, whose problems are sometimes the same as ours, helps us to enrich our vision for the future.

G&M: Are there any areas in particular where these perspectives are of interest?

A.-S. P: In particular, everything to do with CSR, how companies can improve and adapt to new standards, which is currently the case for goldsmiths, who are forerunners in the evolution of materials. There's also the question of products, and I'm very much in favor of being a locavore, without denying myself the possibility of opening up to the world. I have to manage this balance and it would be interesting, for example, to know what a chef like Pierre Hermé thinks about it?

G&M: In terms of economic development, is gastronomy on a par with other businesses?

A.-S. P: What connects us is craftsmanship. It's our common foundation. When I visited the Hermès workshops, I felt the same energy as in my kitchens. As for product development, it's diverse. Today, our house is a whole range of restaurants, but it's also Daily Pic and a range of grocery products. So ultimately, we have the same propensity to grow, while retaining our very artisanal side.