Trained by the best in Paris, Anne-Sophie Nicolas arrived in May at Asia’s esteemed French dining palace to continue a 70-year-old legacy.
Anne-Sophie Nicolas broke a record when joining Gaddi’s, The Peninsula Hong Kong’s French fine-dining restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, back in May: she joined as the first female chef in the restaurant’s 70 year history. Yet, she does not want to be defined by that title.
Four months into her role at Asia’s oldest fine-dining restaurant, opening in 1953 in The Peninsula Hong Kong, operating within Asia’s oldest hotel company, Anne-Sophie is insistent to continue a legacy set before her in perfecting French dining in the city.
Million-dollar chandeliers hang above in Gaddi’s grandiose dining room, matched with a velvety carpet and oak wood cushioned seating that have remained unchanged since its opening decades prior.
Anne-Sophie was fixated on cooking from a young age, she shares in her spotless kitchen tucked around a corner from the dining room. “My career in cooking started in the arts; I was more artistic and knew how to draw and paint. People always need to eat and my first few jobs began in the kitchen.”
Trained in the classic French style of cooking, and weaning experiences at the likes of Restaurant Guy Savoy and Ritz Paris in the capital, her first Hong Kong-based ambassadorial role in French gastronomy began in 2019 with a title bestowed as chef de cuisine of Joël Robuchon.
Five years of work at Joël Robuchon had Anne-Sophie serving a catalogue of the former star chef’s food to Hong Kong, “recipes that are given the validated stamp.” Beyond the traditions of one of France’s most popular chefs to have ever lived, there existed little creativity to craft new French dining experiences beyond following the recipes taken from private cookbooks of Robuchon. The “safe” cooking influenced her to make a change, joining a living institution on the opposite side of the harbour.
Gaddi’s is celebrating its 71st birthday this year, a restaurant that has remained stringent in serving French food of old periods, dating back to the early 1700s. Joining in spring 2024, Anne-Sophie wanted to uncover France’s rich history of food in her kitchen.
“I travel back to uncover old recipes and classic French dishes that I can serve at Gaddi’s.” Noticeably, the food is light on the palate and uncharacteristically less buttery and fatty. “I want to prioritise creativity, colour, shape, and lighter tastes. You don’t want to go to a restaurant anymore and feel like you want to sleep after your meal!”
Foie gras, king crab, caviar, beef tartare, sea bass, and suckling pig feature on Gaddi’s à la carte menu, indicative of a membership to the foundations of classic French cuisine. Japanese touches of amadai, hamachi, and wagyu, as Anne-Sophie notes, appeal to the local Hong Kong palate and draw a French connection to Hong Kong.
Plating and artistry is key for Anne-Sophie in her tenure. Dishes are ornately presented under the hoods of polished silverware and sprinkled with colourful sauces and dustings of strong spice powder.
The star of the show, whilst not an invention of Anne-Sophie, is the canard de challans à la presse, or duck in blood sauce, a cooking method and recipe existing elsewhere at La Tour d’Argent in Paris. Its origins date back to the 1800s.
A priceless silver duck press is presented to diners at dinner where Anne-Sophie and her sous chef place a whole duck in the mechanical press to drain its blood before braising each breast, leg, and thigh part in its own blood, shallots, onions, and cognac before serving at the table. The whole experience costs HKD2,888 for the dish for two persons.
“The fact that we are the only restaurant in Hong Kong that [cooks duck with this press], and the second in the world, [is testament] to the sophistication and culinary strength of Gaddi’s.”
Can such an ancient duck contraption and Gaddi’s classic approach to decade-old fine-dining work in Hong Kong’s current restaurant scene, beset with closures and identity crises over long and expensive menus? Anne-Sophie gives a firm yes.
“What is working in Hong Kong are the lower-priced and most expensive restaurants. People want and have the budget to celebrate – with us – in Hong Kong. French food is still a symbol of elegance and sophistication. When you come to Gaddi’s, you are travelling to France by food.”
The future for Anne-Sophie consists of chasing more Michelin stars and perfecting her style of balancing old and new French dining at Gaddi’s, which will continue to stand as Asia’s first and oldest fine-dining restaurant.
Enjoy a truly classical French dining experience at Gaddi’s by booking you and a loved one for lunch or dinner today.
