Nicolas GIRARDOT

Chef : 2 restaurants After traveling the world, Nicolas Girardot returned to his native Vosges and opened Anico, where he claims to offer "contemporary, no-holds-barred" cuisine.

Presentation

Nicolas Girardot arrived in the culinary world somewhat by chance, obtaining a BEP and a bac pro and starting his career in Luxembourg. He then joined Le Grand Bellevue in Gstaad (Switzerland). It was a revelation! After two years as chef de partie, he continued his career at the Lausanne Palace.

With his wife Anita-Magdalena, whom he met in Switzerland, he travels the world, from Reunion Island to New Zealand, via Quebec. It's a journey during which the chef discovers other cuisines, reinforces his skills and forges a solid experience.

In the summer of 2020, Nicolas Girardot returns to his native Lorraine and joins Les Jardins de Sophie in the Vosges as second-in-command. A region with a rich terroir, where he decided to settle down for good with his family. He took over La Table d'Angèle, just outside the village of La Bresse, and renamed it Anico. With its uncluttered, wood-toned decor reminiscent of the Vosges region, he claims to offer "uninhibited gastronomy, to get away from the stuffy image of a gourmet restaurant. We make our customers feel at ease, and I go into the dining room to serve certain dishes and chat with them." The chef offers "a cuisine of seasons and associations, based on the most local produce possible". Proof of his talent is Gault&Millau's inclusion of him in the 2024 edition of 109 - Le Sang neuf de la gastronomie française.

Nicolas Girardot likes to showcase a few "regional nuggets", such as munster cheese made with goat's milk (which he offers as a mousse, with a pear sorbet), or camerises, small berries that are very common in Canada, but which grow very quickly.These berries are very common in Canada, but also grow near Épinal, and he serves them with beet and chocolate. With discreet, "not flashy" touches, the chef draws inspiration from his travels and the techniques and ingredients he discovers there. For example, he makes his own miso (from Vosges chickpeas!). "My cooking is also about telling our story and sharing my experiences with customers, helping them discover ingredients. It's part of our DNA". He relies on a solid team and enjoys the support of his wife in the dining room and his sommelier, Olivier Saunal, "apillar of the team, who finds nuggets at reasonable prices".

B. V.-L.