This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
The Montreal gastronomy festival is returning to a more “normal” formula than that of 2021. The chefs of the metropolis will mainly receive Quebec chefs, and they will create extraordinary menus to celebrate the cuisine from here, which is more in addition to be guided by our nordicity.
Ode to boreal cuisine
What a pleasure to find the dining rooms of our favorite restaurants! This is already a great opportunity to celebrate all the artisans at the heart of our unique gastronomy. Given the health situation of the last few months, however, we will have to wait for the next edition of the festival to find the original formula including guest chefs from all over the world.
For his 23and edition, the Montréal en lumière festival still has 20 participating restaurants. At the Mastard, for example, chef Simon Mathys will receive chefs Émilie Tremblay and Sylvain Dervieux, from the restaurant Les Faux Bergers, in Baie-Saint-Paul, on February 24 and 25.
Let’s talk about nordicity
In order to celebrate local gastronomy with dignity, it went without saying, for Julie Martel, director of the festival’s gastronomic programming, to invite renowned Aboriginal chefs. Festival-goers will be able to discover or learn more about the culinary culture of the various Aboriginal communities. They will notably find the Abenaki chef Lysanne O’Bomsawin alongside Maria-José de Frias, at the Virunga restaurant, the Innu chef Sylvestre Hervieux-Pinette alongside the executive chef Jean-Sébastien Giguère, at the H3 restaurant in the Humaniti complex, as well as the chef Maxime Lizotte, of the Wolastoqiyik Wahsepekuk First Nation, at the General Staff.
By having only chefs and producers from here for this edition, it seems that the theme of nordicity is sublimated
Maxime Lizotte, also the founder of Wigwam, runs the restaurant L’Introuvable, whose mission is to offer local and eco-responsible cuisine. This is also the approach he wishes to highlight during the festival. “We’re thinking of serving smoked char as a starter, a main course consisting of beets and venison, with a touch of balsam poplar — a classic combination that I like to reinvent from time to time — and a dessert of red fruits and conifers,” he explains.
As for the restaurant of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ), chef Carl Jobin, pastry chef Éric Champagne and their student brigade will welcome Martin Gagné, chef of Le Parlementaire, the restaurant of the National Assembly in Quebec. He will present a menu paying tribute to the know-how of six Aboriginal nations. Wines from the Nk’Mip Cellars Aboriginal vineyard in British Columbia as well as those from the renowned Camy vineyard, located in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, will accompany the meal.
Back to the festival
The popular Bed & Gastronomy and Gastronomic Nights formulas are back after a great success during the 2021 edition of the festival. A dozen hotels offer a gastronomic experience in their rooms or in their hotel restaurant, such as the Etat-major restaurants at the Boxotel, Maggie Oakes at the William Gray hotel and Le Boulevardier at the Le Germain Montreal hotel.
The 23and edition of the Montréal en lumière festival will be held from February 17 to March 5, 2022.