In November, the Montréal en lumière organization enthusiastically announced the gastronomic component of its 23and presentation. “Finally back to the restaurant! “, we headlined at this time, without knowing that the arrival of the fifth wave would turn everything upside down.
Posted at 2:00 p.m.
Since the return from the Holidays, the festival team has reviewed a large part of the program and made heartbreaking choices.
There will therefore be no international chefs invited this year, a bet that would have been “too risky” in the circumstances, explains Julie Martel, head of gastronomic programming. The Gourmet Circuits in collaboration with Tastet as well as the event From film to table with Studio Ghibli were also cancelled.
The Quartier gourmand, which was to be set up in the lobby of Place des Arts, will be replaced by a series of six web capsules in which chef Jérémie Jean-Baptiste will present how to cook six local products such as sweet clover or fennel agastache.
The component devoted to indigenous cuisine will be less important than expected, but it is only postponed for next year, we promise. The theme of nordicity, which underpinned this presentation, remains topical and several establishments will put it in the spotlight on their menus. “With the presence of local chefs only, the famous theme of nordicity is sublimated”, remarks Mme Hammer. In all, there are still around twenty Air France Bonnes Tables participating in the festival this year.
Among the events related to Nordic cuisine, note the presence of Innu chef Sylvestre Hervieux-Pinette at the H3 restaurant on February 18. He is inspired by his native origins and certain ancestral cooking techniques to offer gourmet menus with his Opus private chef home chef service.
At the magnificent Bar George, chef Kevin Ramasawmy will offer, in collaboration with guest chef Nick Lui (DaiLo in Toronto), a tasting menu that promises to be authentic around Nordic cuisine (February 17 and 18).
Chef Dominic Labelle, who made a name for himself last summer with his rustic table Parcelles, in Austin, will visit the Auberge Saint-Gabriel for two evenings (February 17 and 18). We will also be very curious to see what chef Simon Mathys and his guests, the Faux-Bergers gang in Baie-Saint-Paul, will cook up at the Mastard restaurant on February 24 and 25.