Anthony BISQUERRA

Chef : ANTO Anthony Bisquerra, a talented chef, has opened Anto in Annecy, a restaurant where he passionately reinterprets Savoyard regional cuisine. With this restaurant, he returns to authentic and accessible cuisine.

Presentation

He experienced the heights of luxury. He stepped back from it to be closer to people, to simplicity, and to the local terroir. In October , Anthony Bisquerra opened his first “home” in Annecy , a restaurant bearing his name: Anto.

He was born in Gironde, but his roots are Basque and even Spanish—from the Balearic Islands on his paternal grandparents’ side. He remains deeply connected to that heritage and culture—enough to add a few grains of Espelette pepper here, a bit of pimentón there, which adds flavor and character to a cuisine that is now firmly rooted in Savoie.

A New Adventure in the Heart of Annecy

His career path, however, has been eclectic and distinguished: Jean Ramet in Bordeaux to start, Coutanceau with Christopher, Les Caudalies with Nicolas Masse, Franck Putelat in Carcassonne—what wonderful schools, what wonderful experiences—before becoming chef at a chic hotel in Megève, L’Alpaga, and earning his first awards and a taste of the spotlight.

Yet he eventually turned his back on the glitz and glamour. “I’d had enough of that kind of dining—extravagant bills featuring ingredients no one canafford.” Back down to earth: even though Annecy isn’t exactly arun-down suburb, it was there— on the very touristy Rue duFaubourg-Sainte-Claire—that he foundthe perfect spot to set up his “home.”

“I knew the owner; I knew he wanted to retire, and we got along well.” Le Bilboquet became Anto, and ever since, here’s a chef who looks so happy surrounded by his guests! “Before, I didn’t really like being out front, but today, I serve the plates,I explain the dishes, I chat with guests—and it’s great. Besides, I’m the one who decided to name my restaurant Anto—I can’t back out and hide now!”

A Happy Home in Savoie

He ’s cooking the food he loves, the clientele has quickly grown, there are already plenty of regulars, and the chef is living his best life. While staying true to his values—traceable, impeccable ingredients, gourmet fare at bistro prices—it’s all about precision, attention to detail, and the technique you don’t see but is definitely there, in a jus, a sauce, or a condiment. Unbeatable menus for this level of quality, including a €39 three-course meal with appetizers, available for lunch and dinner—more than enough to win over diners and keep them coming back. He’s also reconnected with his former sommelier, who now runs a wine cellar near Avenue Parmelan, and together they’ve crafted a superb winelist. Whether in the dining room or in the kitchen, everyone works with a smile. “We work together and have to perform quickly—that builds bonds; we’re a real team.”

Along with his partner, who works at Le Clos des Sens, serving guests alongside Thomas Lorival, they deliberated at length over where to go next. “For a while, we thought about leaving here entirely, to find something in the Basque Country—a region I know well and that also has great potential. But this opportunity came along, so we decided to stay, and I think we made the right choice; we’re happyhere.”