On May 21, 2026, the magnificent "House of Dior Shinsaibashi" opened in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. There, "Monsieur Dior Osaka," a restaurant by Anne-Sophie Pic, the female chef who holds the most Michelin stars in the world, opened. Food journalist Yui Togawa, who writes the opening column "Creators of Otherworldly Delicacies" for Chronos Japan, visited the restaurant. We will introduce the poetic space and the many dishes, interwoven with an interview with Anne-Sophie Pic, which began with the kind words, "Let's have a pleasant chat."
Born in Valence, southeastern France in 1969, she is the great-grandmother of Sophie Pic, who founded "Auberge du Pain" in Saint-Perrey, Ardèche, in 1889. After graduating from business school, she worked with her father in the kitchen in Valence, and in 1997, she took over the restaurant with her husband, David Sinapien. In 2007, she earned three Michelin stars, becoming "the only female chef in France to have earned three stars." In 2026, she oversaw the opening of "Café Dior by Anne-Sophie Pic Bamboo Pavilion" in Daikanyama, Tokyo, which became a hot topic.
Photographs & Text by Yui Togawa
[Article published on January 26, 2026]
Inspired by the villa in the South of France that Monsieur Dior loved, Osaka.
The House of Dior Shinsaibashi is located near the intersection of Midosuji and Nagahori-dori in the heart of Osaka. Even amidst the array of luxury brands, its undulating facade stands out with its exceptionally elegant appearance. Heading towards the main entrance and turning to the right, you'll find the dedicated entrance to the restaurant, Monsieur Dior Osaka.
Incidentally, there are currently two restaurants bearing the name "Monsieur Dior": one in Paris and one here in Osaka. The Paris location is overseen by Yannick Alléno, whom I previously introduced in my review of "Sushi La Bis Osaka Yannick Alléno" at the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka (Reference:https://www.webchronos.net/features/126368/Anne-Sophie Pic has worked on many Dior cafes, but following her first restaurant in Beijing, this will be her first restaurant in Japan. "It's a dream I've cherished for 35 years since my first visit to Japan, and it has finally come true," she said, sharing her joy with the guests.
Stepping inside, you are immediately drawn into its world. The Château de La Colle Noire, which covers an entire wall, is the villa in southern France that Christian Dior loved. The space, created with this in mind, has a fantastical atmosphere, as if enveloped in light and nature. Dior tableware shines on a pristine white tablecloth.
Regarding Château de La Colle Noire, Anne-Sophie Pic says: "I first visited it about three years ago, when my collaboration with Dior began. I went with my friend, Francis Kurkdjian, who is also Dior's perfumer. It's not ostentatious, but a comfortable space that values the 'art de vivre' (the art of living). The kitchen is very large, which suggests that cooking and entertaining guests with food was very important to Mr. Dior. It was a truly moving experience, and you could feel that it was a place he loved. I also really like the space of 'Monsieur Dior Osaka,' designed by Peter Marino, with its beautiful use of every single material and the abundant use of greenery reminiscent of a villa garden."
Located on the fourth floor, the restaurant features a main dining area with 46 seats and two private rooms. One is a private dining room that can accommodate up to 8 people, and the other is a chef's table overlooking the kitchen that can accommodate up to 5 people. There is also a bar counter with 5 seats. The wine cellar is also superb, with a selection that wine lovers will find themselves engrossed in for hours. "We also place great importance on the art pieces displayed throughout the restaurant, which are eye-catching yet harmoniously integrated." The restaurant has a refined atmosphere, yet a comfortable and welcoming ambiance that makes you feel at ease.
Memories of both Japan and France come together in a poetic dish.
Anne-Sophie Pic says it is a great joy and pride to be able to open her first restaurant in Japan with Dior. "When I started cooking for a restaurant bearing the Dior name, I first visited the Dior archives in Paris. The works of Monsieur Dior, who worked on haute couture for 10 years and achieved great success, are all truly wonderful. I wanted to cherish the connection with them and created dishes with great emphasis on visuals." As her words suggest, every dish that is served is breathtaking in its beauty.
Sea urchin and buckwheat tea bavarois, mandarin orange and dill condiment, nasturtium coulis.
The starfish, a symbol of Dior's lucky star, evokes the beaches of Granville in Normandy, a region Christian Dior loved. The meticulously crafted dish, featuring embroidery and botanical motifs, resembles a garden by the sea. Mandarin oranges and dill add a refreshing touch. "Sea urchin is one of my favorite ingredients, and it's popular in France as well, but Japanese sea urchin is truly exceptional. The aroma of buckwheat tea is a scent I encountered when I first came to Japan." It's also interesting that the dishes served incorporate elements inspired by memories of both Japan and France.
Aroma is an indispensable element when discussing the cuisine of Anne-Sophie Pic. Not only are the dishes served at her restaurant "Maison Pic" in Valence, southeastern France, exquisite, but the rich, seasonal fragrances wafting from her magnificent garden also contribute to the experience. When asked about her favorite scent, she said, "It's difficult to narrow it down to just one, but if I had to choose, it would be the scent of rose geranium. It's the scent of roses, but with a fresh, green nuance. It's hard to find in Japan, so I planted my own so I could use fresh rose geraniums." The cake "La Rose à la Framboise," served at "Café Dior" locations in Ginza and Daikanyama, is infused with the scent of rose geranium, so be sure to try it.
Comté cheese filling, green peas, wasabi, and wild celery sauce.
Next up is a signature dish from Valence's "Maison Pic." Since Berlingo is a type of pasta, using it in French cuisine is a truly bold move. However, Berlingo is also an homage to Raviol de Roman, a regional dish from the Drôme region, and at "Monsieur Dior Osaka," they've added a novel twist by combining plain yellow dough, black dough made with charcoal, and red dough made with cocoa to create a leopard print, one of Dior's iconic patterns. The visual, reminiscent of wearing a Dior dress, is a culinary homage to Christian Dior's eternal muse, Mitzah Bricard. As you feel the pleasant chewiness of the pasta, the rich cheese melts out, and the contrast with the fresh, green sauce made with wasabi and wild celery is superb.
During the interview, Anne-Sophie Pic treated us to Japanese tea. She said it had a calming aroma that symbolized Japan. "Besides its freshness, I'm also drawn to the bitterness that the tea leaves impart. I wonder if that came across in the sauce today. Bitterness is also something that citrus fruits have in common. I love the jabara, a citrus fruit similar to lemons that grows in the south of France, and I even grow it myself." When I mentioned wild vegetables in Japan, she told me, "Actually, we're currently exploring that in the kitchen with a Japanese chef. It will be finished soon." I'm really looking forward to the menu that will be developed in the future.
I was amazed by how seamlessly Japanese ingredients blended into French cuisine. Anne-Sophie Pic first visited Japan when she was 21. "I was a student then, and I came with my husband, who is with me today. At that time, Japan was still a mysterious place in Europe, and it was very shocking and left a deep impression on me. I have been in love with Japan ever since. After finishing my studies, I decided to take over my father's restaurant in Valence, but I wanted to incorporate elements of Japanese ingredients and culture. It is because of my encounter with Japan that I am who I am today, and my cooking is what it is today."
Seared mackerel, Osetra caviar, melting leeks and mustard seeds, and a sabayon with matcha and sherry vinegar.
"This dish is the first step in my journey to creating cuisine that bridges Japan and France," he said, introducing a dish combining lustrous caviar with mackerel. The caviar grains were meticulously scattered, like the work of a master craftsman. In the center, shiso leaves and croutons were arranged, adding a detail reminiscent of the seams of clothing. "The sauce is French in style, yet it brings out the best in Japanese ingredients. It uses dashi, a broth unique to Japanese cuisine, to which matcha butter, sherry vinegar, and lemon are added. When I first served it at my restaurant, there happened to be some Japanese customers, and I was really scared of their reaction, but they said it was delicious. This time, the sabayon sauce is even richer. I hope everyone will enjoy it."
I was particularly struck by the fact that a vibrant green sauce was poured over all three dishes I was served, so I asked about the role of the sauce. "Sauce is the foundation of French cuisine. However, when I first entered the culinary world, French sauces had a bad reputation for being too heavy, and there was a demand for lighter sauces, so sauces were almost disappearing from French cuisine. That's why I wanted to create a sauce that was traditional yet light."
"Haute Couture" and "Autogastronomy"
Vanilla cream and jasmine.
For dessert, Anne-Sophie Pic's signature mille-feuille was brought out. The houndstooth pattern designed on the surface for the opening of "Monsieur Dior Osaka" is also one of Dior's iconic motifs. It originates from the use of the houndstooth pattern to decorate the iconic fragrance "Miss Dior." You might doubt your eyes and wonder, "Is this really a mille-feuille?", but when you break it open with a spoon, the mille-feuille is indeed revealed. At the same time, like a fragrance, the scents of vanilla and jasmine waft out. Incidentally, the bread served throughout the course also fully reflects the world of Dior, so look forward to discovering it when you visit.
Anne-Sophie Pic, who had always aspired to be a fashion designer, spoke about overseeing the Dior restaurant as follows: "As you can see from the words 'haute couture' and 'haute gastronomy,' there are many things in common. Working for Dior is a great joy and a source of pride for me. I have been able to get to know the world of Dior better. Dior is a creator that can bring out the best in women's beauty, and for example, the Bar jacket, which beautifully accentuates a woman's waist, is a masterpiece that has become synonymous with Dior to me. I also love their fragrances when I'm not cooking, and their makeup items are excellent and I adore them." On this day, she was wearing a pure white chef's coat paired with navy Dior sneakers.
As Anne-Sophie Pic herself said, having dreamed of this for 35 years, the dishes she creates, born from her accumulated memories and experiences in Japan, are truly unique and can only be found here. Both the meal and the words she spoke in the interview made for a truly dreamlike experience. Not only was the food superb, but it was also clear why so many people admire Anne-Sophie Pic's personality. This is a restaurant that reminds us that it can enrich people's lives, and I highly recommend visiting with someone special to create lasting memories.
Restaurant overview
Monsieur Dior Osaka
Address: 4F, House of Dior Shinsaibashi, 1-9-17 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
TEL：06-7632-1450
Hours: 11:30-15:00, 18:00-22:30
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays
Price: Lunch from 12,000 yen, dinner from 30,000 yen (15% service charge not included)
URL:https://www.dior.com/fashion/stores/ja_jp/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC/osaka/1-9-17-shinsaibashisuji
Reservation:https://www.tablecheck.com/ja/monsieur-diorosaka/reserve/landing
Yui Tonokawa's profile
Food journalist. Believing in conveying the stories and passions of the creators, she writes articles about restaurants, hotels, sweets, alcohol, and other food-related topics. She is in charge of the "Creators of Otherworldly Delicacies" column in the lead column of "IN THE LIFE" in the Japanese edition of "Kronos."
