A pinch of France in space

Sophie is bringing a taste of home to space with a special menu created together with Anne-Sophie Pic, the world’s most Michelin-starred female chef. The food selection includes iconic yet entirely revisited dishes such as: 

• Onion soup with pink peppercorns and gratinéed croutons 

• Poultry with voatsiperifery pepper, tonka bean, and creamy comté cheese polenta 

• Chocolate cream with hazelnut flower and coffee 

Food and personalities pairing

Anne-Sophie Pic stands out as one of the iconic figures of haute cuisine, constantly pushing the boundaries of taste and emotion through her bold creations and intuitive approach. Her three-star restaurant, Pic, in Valence, France, was honoured with the Tripadvisor “Best Restaurants” award in 2024. She was also named the World’s Best Female Chef in 2011 by the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards. 

The story between the two talented women began with the will of Sophie Adenot to connect to terroir gastronomy and the astronaut quickly selected Anne-Sophie Pic based on her talent, her humility and her values. After a first meeting in Paris for a tasting, they both discovered many similarities in their way of thinking and overall personal and professional journeys. Thoroughness, collective thinking, dedication and passion — they both share the same values and vision.  

“What a thrill to have been asked by Sophie Adenot to accompany her in her mission! Through our discussions and tastings, I discovered an exceptional woman, inspiring in many ways. Cooking for space is an exhilarating challenge — it’s a true honor to be part of this extraordinary adventure,” said Anne-Sophie Pic. 

For Sophie Adenot: “This encounter was a stroke of fate. Nothing pre-destined us to meet and work together, and yet, we ended up collaborating on this collective adventure. Anne-Sophie is a brilliant professional and a truly inspiring figure and I am thrilled to have her onboard!” 

Space food

Any food delivered to the International Space Station must be crumb-free, lightweight and keep for at least 24 months.

Most of the space menu consists of canned or freeze-dried meals in plastic packages that astronauts can select from a pre-defined list of options provided by the institutions. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a luxury, only available when a spacecraft arrives with new supplies. 

“Anne-Sophie’s menu will not only surprise our taste buds and delight our palates; it will also allow us to reconnect with the Earth. Her cuisine signature is deeply influenced by the terroir. This is important to me because I grew up in the countryside, and it will remind me of my roots,” underlines Sophie Adenot.  

Bonus food catered for specific crew members makes up around a tenth of their menu. This additional food is custom-made based on their tastes and personal preferences and is usually developed in partnership with a chef.  Astronauts say this bonus food adds variety to their dishes, boosts their mental wellbeing and helps them bond with the crew in orbit. 

“During a mission, sharing our respective food is a way to invite our crewmates to discover more about our culture. It is a very special bonding moment for all of us and a welcome change in our day-to-day routine. I have no doubt they will be as enthusiastic as I am when they get a chance to taste Anne-Sophie’s dishes,” says Sophie.  

A canned challenge

According to Anne-Sophie Pic: “Cooking for space means pushing the boundaries of gastronomy. With my team in my research and development lab we embraced a thrilling challenge: preserving the emotion of taste despite extreme technical constraints. ” 

The final packaging of the bonus food was prepared in partnership with servair, a French company specialised in airline catering. To ensure the preservation of taste qualities while guaranteeing a very long shelf life at room temperature, the servair teams led by their corporate chef François Adamski adapted and manufactured the recipes using cutting-edge technology: sterilisation in flexible bags.

εpsilon menu

Starters:  

• Foie gras cream on toasted brioche, with candied lemon 

• Lobster bisque with crab and caraway 

• Parsnip velouté with curry and smoked haddock 

• Onion soup with pink peppercorns and gratinéed croutons 

Main courses: 

• Shredded braised beef with black garlic and smoked vanilla 

• Poultry with voatsiperifery pepper, tonka bean, and creamy comté cheese polenta 

Desserts: 

• Coconut and smoked vanilla rice pudding 

• Chocolate cream with hazelnut flower and coffee