In a town in the French Alps called Val d’Isere in 1992, a grand race course was designed for the world class skiers that would compete in that winter’s Olympic Games. Excitement was on the rise, but there was one problem. A section of the mountain was already inhabited by a beloved and ancient French resident: the Ancolie flower. Designs for the course called for razing that section of mountain and the destruction of the lovely little wildflowers' habitat: Cue an uprising from the townsfolk and a debate on the importance of culture versus nature. Over thirty years later and an ocean away, I sat with Chloe Vichot, owner of Ancolie, a little cafe named for the flower and representative of the struggle to preserve the environment.
Chloe, who is originally from Paris, lived in New York for twelve years, working in finance until she felt compelled to do something she felt truly passionate about. As many others have done, she left Wall Street and made her dream a reality by opening Ancolie.
Today, in 2017, she encourages her customers to be careful with the food they eat. She offer discounts if diners bring their own coffee cups, and she uses glass jars to serve her food, rather than disposable items. Almost everything at Ancolie is recycled, demonstrating Chloe’s deep commitment to environmental responsibility. Her coffee is seasonally sourced and most of the ingredients that go into the delicious salads and soups on the menu are bought from the Union Square Greenmarket. Anything that is not local is still sustainably sourced. Anything left over is composted or reused. “My goal is to show people that it is not too complicated to just be careful,” said Chloe.
As I sat munching on a handful of the incredible apple crisps, Chloe explained to me that the peels are leftovers from her apple compote. Rather than throw the peels out, the staff cuts them up and sprinkles cinnamon and olive oil on them, and then they cook slowly until they turn crisp. The result is simple and simply delicious. Someone also comes twice a week to take what is not reused to a garden for compost. “The best way to avoid waste,” Chloe told me, “is just to not create it.”
Ancolie has quickly become known for their use of jars to serve food. It is true that mason jars are trendy at the moment, but Chloe’s fascination with them goes beyond the fashion of the day. Eating with glass, she told me, is uncomplicated and soothing. “The experience is amazing,” she said. “I like to drink coffee out of a real cup. You don’t feel like you have to rush.”
