Gastronomy | The finalists for the fifth edition of the Lauriers are announced

The Lauriers de la gastronomie québécoise are celebrating their fifth anniversary this year, and it will take place at New City Gas on May 29. While waiting for the gala, which will be co-hosted by founder Christine Plante and her accomplice Christian Bégin, then the big party that will follow, the organization unveiled the finalists for the 16 categories on Monday evening.

The title of Restaurant of the Year will be awarded to one of the following ten establishments: Alentours (Quebec), BEBA (Montreal), Faux Bergers (Baie-Saint-Paul), Hoogan & Beaufort (Montreal), Floating Island (Montreal ), La Belle Histoire (Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson), Melba (Quebec), Moccione (Montreal), Monarque (Montreal) or Tanière^⁠3 (Quebec).

The other highly coveted Laurel for Chef or Chef of the Year will go to either Alex Bouchard (Chez Muffy, Quebec), Frédérick Boucher (Jardins de Métis, Grand-Métis), Kim Côté (Côté Est, Kamouraska), Fisun Ercan (Bika farm & kitchen, Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu), Junichi Ikematsu (Jun I, Montreal), Juan Lopez Luna (Alma, Montreal), Jessica Noël (Vin Monrabbit, Montreal), François-Emmanuel Nicol (Tanière^⁠3Quebec), Massimo Piedimonte (Cabaret L’Enfer, Montreal) or Janice Tiefenbach (Elena, Montreal).

Apart from the Public Laurel (which Ricardo Larrivee will not be able to win again this year, since he is a member of the jury!), the other categories only have five finalists. The gala received a record number of applications for this fifth edition, around 6,000.

The five names representing the next generation of catering professionals this year, in the Revelation of the Year category, are Samy Benabed (Auberge Saint-Mathieu, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc), Arianne Faucher (Baumier Bar à Vin, Piedmont ), Léandre Legault-Vigneau (Bocuse d’Or), Maxime Lizotte (Le Cuisinier Locavore, Quebec) and Zébulon Vézina (Pâtisserie Zébulon, Montreal).

Those who have the best sweet tooth for Quebecers are pastry chefs Éric Champagne (ITHQ restaurant, Montreal), Léa Godin Beauchemin (Place Carmin, Montreal), Mathieu Janes (Chez Rioux & Pettigrew, Quebec), Olivier Potier (Chez Potier, Montreal), Rachel Parenteau and Olivier Verdot (Pâtisserie Chouquette, Quebec).

As for the sommeliers who have quenched their thirst well, they are Caroline Beaulieu (Légende, Quebec), Lindsay Brennan (Alma, Montreal), Nikolas Da Fonseca (vinvinvin, Montreal), Hugo Duchesne (Hoogan & Beaufort, Montreal) and Vincent Laniel (Candide, Montreal).

And what would our restaurant experience be without the service aces Mélanie Blanchette (Place Carmin, Montreal), Roxan Bourdelais (Tanière^⁠3Quebec), Perle Morency (East Side, Kamouraska), Marie-Ève ​​Savard Brulotte (Candide, Montreal) and Dave St-Yves (Buvette Scott, Quebec)?

The following categories remain: Baker or Baker of the Year, Mixologist or Bartender of the Year, Brewer, Winemaker or Beverage Producer of the Year, Producer of the Year, Craftsman or Craftswoman of the Year, Company or Initiative of the Year, Event of the Year, Culinary Culture Outreach Award and Gastronomic Tourism Award.

The whole province shines

Once again, all of Quebec is well represented in these quotes, with finalists from L’Isle-Verte, Havre-aux-Maison, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, Alma, Eastern Townships, the Laurentians and of course Quebec and Montreal. The complete list of finalists can be found on the Lauriers website.

The winners will, as usual, be decided 50% by the brigade of 6,000 industry professionals and 50% by the 2023 jury. This brings together Patrice Demers and Marie-Josée Beaudoin, co-presidents of the jury, Ricardo Larrivee, Claudia Doyon (2022 Mixologist of the Year), Dyan Solomon (2021 Chef of the Year), Fernande Ouellet (2021 Producer of the Year), Journalist Allison Van Rassel, Chef Danny Smiles and Chef Chanthy Yen.