The Pic name extends internationally, from Paris to London, Singapore, Megève and Hong Kong, including Dubai, among other projects in development.
In Japan, the Pic group is collaborating with the Dior brand and a first establishment will open at Osaka airport in 2023.
“A Dior café by Anne-Sophie Pic, with a sweet offering, creations where we highlight the codes of the Dior brand through culinary creations,” confirms David Sinapian.
The group closes the year 2024 with the opening of two other cafes, in Japan, in Ginza, and Chengdu at the end of December and the opening of Monsieur Dior restaurants by Anne-Sophie Pic, including that of the flagship d 'Osaka, planned for 2026, among others in Japan and Bangkok.
“Anne-Sophie has had a very strong affinity with Japan for a very long time and so have I. In the love she has for tea, in the products, in Japanese refinement,” says David Sinapian.
In the Emirates, the group contractually committed to the project, La Dame de Pic Dubai, at One&Only Zaabeel, in 2017, for an opening in 2024, during which the establishment was named Best Restaurant at the Fact Dining Awards 2024.
“I have seen an evolution at a speed that surprises me (…) and this is what characterizes business in the Emirates,” confirms Mr. Sinapian, while emphasizing the importance of being attentive to the temporality of the project and to market dynamics, different characteristics with respect to the European market.
“You can be fashionable at one point and outdated very quickly afterwards because the market has evolved and you haven't been able to adapt,” he adds.
In Saudi Arabia, the Pic Group was present three years ago in AlUla, for the duration of a pop-up restaurant, as part of Franco-Saudi events.
“We have almost reached the potential for the development of the catering professions in Saudi Arabia and I remain convinced that the future holds considerable opportunities for the industry. It’s obvious,” underlines Mr. Sinapian.
For the president of the Pic Group, the opening of restaurants is linked to meetings, partners, the relevance and coherence of the projects with what the Pic Group offers and develops.
One of the challenges today remains access to a trained workforce, who can meet the demands of the profession, particularly in terms of private and professional balance, which is difficult to maintain in the industry and which can be a handicap. to retain young people.
The expansion of Maison Pic throughout the world demonstrates the complementarity of the duo formed by Anne-Sophie Pic and David Sinapian, between creativity, culinary sensitivity, market research, commercial know-how and knowledge of the industry.
The president of the Pic Group is currently beginning his third five-year term, as president of the “Les Grandes Tables du monde” association.
“It allows me to rub shoulders with the greatest restaurateurs on the planet, since it is the 2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants that are members of the association,” he confirms.
Gastronomy, culture and heritage
Gastronomy is a component of culture and heritage. “Haute gastronomy in France has just joined the Colbert committee,” underlines Mr. Sinapian.
“We had the chance to join the Colbert committee 3 years ago, because the association considered that haute cuisine was a component of the luxury industry,” he adds.
Like the luxury sector, haute cuisine offers an experience to consumers, combining heritage and culture.
A haute cuisine project requires upstream procurement work, market research and identification of these components.
“It’s a way of paying homage to the territories in which we open a restaurant and of showcasing our products,” insists David Sinapian.
The Pic Group sources local products that fuel the creativity of the chef and her teams, while offering consumers an experience with French flavors and products, an essential balance for its success.
Respecting seasonality, as well as local sourcing and from distributors of French products, makes it possible to limit the group's carbon footprint.
The gastronomy of tomorrow
By wearing his hat as president of the world's great tables, David Sinapian tries to highlight themes relating to the evolution of catering, the role of artificial intelligence, time management and the redefinition of the consumer experience .
“Gastronomy must be in perpetual reflection of evolution. If we don’t think about this today we will be much less attractive to customers,” says Mr. Sinapian.
In a fragile economic context, maintaining a balance between sales prices and purchase prices to ensure the sustainability of the company is a permanent challenge for the group's president, while adapting its offer to market expectations.
“You have to be very agile, question yourself and find the axis of the offer most suited to customers, even if it is different from what you are used to doing,” he continues.
The Pic Group is a family story from Valence to the international scene, of regaining Michelin stars, of creativity and consistency reflecting the identity of the chef, but above all teamwork.
“It must have a soul thanks to the staff and the overall experience that you want to define there,” underlines Mr. Sinapian, for whom the key to the development and success of the catering professions remains training, as well as as human and creative capital.
