This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Nordic spa restaurants have nothing to envy to the best tables here. As proof, inventive chefs now run the kitchens of several Quebec spas. Beyond health claims, look at the culinary inspirations of the chefs of Strøm Spa, Spa Eastman and Forëna, three destinations where relaxation and gastronomy go hand in hand.
Nowadays, we no longer go to the spa just to enjoy the water circuits. The gastronomic offer has been refined there, to the point where some customers return regularly not only for the baths, but also for the cuisine. This is the case at Spa Eastman, in the Eastern Townships, where chef Jean-Marc Enderlin has created a menu based on the principles of hypotoxic cuisine, or “tonic”, as we say in Eastman.
“Tonic cuisine is more than healthy dishes”, explains Jean-Marc Enderlin from the outset. Say goodbye to dairy products and gluten! Here, the chef has made it his mission to offer a top-of-the-range taste experience by highlighting local and most often organic products — including several vegetables and edible flowers grown on site — without sacrificing the nutritious side. “We transform the food as little as possible,” says the chef trained in nutritherapy in Belgium, adding that meat, fish and poultry are cooked at low temperature “in order to preserve all the nutrients as much as possible. We do not fry anything! »
Nordic inspirations, local terroir
As for the North restaurants of Strøm Spa in Old Quebec, Mont-Saint-Hilaire and L’Île-des-Soeurs, executive chef Raphaël Podlasiewicz makes a point of showcasing the products of local artisans. we. On the menu: currants from the Ferme du Capitaine, coppa from Biological Meats from Charlevoix, smoked salmon from Fumoirs Gosselin, piglet from the Gaspor farm or cheese from La Station, for example. “We gave ourselves the mandate to work as closely as possible with local artisans,” explains the man who cherishes the dream of relying on his own vegetable garden for the group’s restaurants, which also includes the Fika café in Sherbrooke. “A medium-term project,” he says.
Boreal ingredients are also at the heart of Forëna’s offer. Karina Morel-Maltauro, the chef of the restaurant installed in this spa town recently built at the foot of Mont Saint-Bruno, testifies to this. “I try to draw inspiration as much as possible from the three worlds of the spa, which includes Icelandic, Russian and German resorts, but using products from our region,” she says.
Its menu gives pride of place to mushrooms from 400 mushrooms, salted herbs from Bas-du-Fleuve, herbs from Gourmet Sauvage and even lobster from Gaspésie, among others. “We also incorporate herbs and edible flowers that grow on our terrace into the dishes,” continues the chef. They even grow a few leafy vegetables, such as Swiss chard. As soon as picked, as soon as on the plate. Every chef’s dream!
The most beautiful ? The tables of Nordic spas are not reserved for spa guests only. Epicureans and lovers of good food can just as easily sit down at one or other of the restaurants and discover their dishes in a zen environment. This is a change from the sometimes noisy neighborhood bars! There is something to taste
Three restaurants, three emblematic dishes
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.