Born in 1945 near Nice, Annie Féolde transformed the Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence into a gastronomic temple, becoming the first female chef in Italy to receive three Michelin stars. Her story is a journey of passion, innovation, and international success.
Biography
Annie Féolde, born into a family of hoteliers and farmers, started her path far from the kitchen. After finishing secondary school, she worked for the postal service in Marseille and then moved to London to improve her language skills, working as a dog sitter.
Later, she moved to Florence, hoping to be as fortunate as she was in London, but the Italian family had to choose between two girls, and the other arrived first, leaving Annie without a place to live upon her arrival.
Here, her life took a decisive turn: she began working in a local restaurant, learning the language and the basics of Italian cuisine. In 1970, Annie met Giorgio Pinchiorri, a sommelier with whom she shared a deep passion for wine and gastronomy, and whom she fell in love with. Together, they opened Enoteca Pinchiorri in 1973, which quickly transformed from a simple wine shop to a gourmet restaurant.
Enoteca Pinchiorri earned its first Michelin star in 1981, followed by the second the next year and the third in 1992. This achievement made Annie Féolde the first female chef in Italy to receive three Michelin stars. The couple then expanded to Tokyo, and despite a temporary loss of one star, Annie regained the third star in 2004.
In 2008, they opened a new restaurant in Nagoya, Japan. To celebrate 40 years of success, in 2013, they published an autobiography written by Leonardo Castellucci. Today, although she has handed over the kitchen command to chef Riccardo Monco, Annie Féolde continues to influence the menu choices, maintaining Enoteca Pinchiorri as a symbol of culinary excellence.
