The annual reunion of Quebec gastronomy was held Monday at New City Gas, in a slightly chaotic atmosphere, but good-natured as always. This year, at the Lauriers, we can say that women in the catering industry and other food professions are the big winners.
Nine of the 17 prizes are won by women, and that’s without counting their implicit presence in certain categories, such as gourmet tourism and initiative of the year.
If the Canada’s 100 Best list, released on May 14, recognized for the second year in a row a restaurant of festive and relaxed excellence (Mon Lapin), the Lauriers brigade and jury for their part rather celebrated an establishment whose the kitchen is a laboratory and the dining room, a performative space. Lair3 is the restaurant of the year, after its chef, François-Emmanuel Nicol, was crowned chef of the year in 2023.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Mixologist of the year: Simon Faucher, from Tanière3. The establishment was also crowned restaurant of the year.
It is also the cocktail creator of this very high-end establishment in Quebec, Simon Faucher, who produced the best cocktails of the last year. For having experienced Lair3 last summer, we confirm that the bartender’s liquid creations, with or without alcohol, are one of the restaurant’s strong points. The La Tanière group has just opened Le Vieux Carré, a cocktail bar adjacent to its restaurant L’Orygine.
This year, it is Fisun Ercan who leaves with one of the most coveted trophies, that of chef of the year, for the work she does both in the fields and in the kitchens of Bika Ferme & Cuisine, in Saint- Blaise-sur-Richelieu.
For me, it’s been a marathon for 23 years. At the beginning, I really wanted to represent Turkish cuisine in Quebec. Later, my responsibility shifted to a kitchen in my adopted land. With this award, I feel for the first time that I really belong here.
Fisun Ercan, chef of the year
Another woman living in the countryside is named revelation of the year. This is Chloé Ouellet, from the Au pasture farm table, located in Sainte-Perpétue. The star pastry chef of 2023 also works outside the major centers. Gabrielle Hiller-Rivard runs her Cabane sur le Roc in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, where her exquisite treats are sweetened with maple.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, THE PRESS
The revelation of the year: Chloé Ouellet, from the farm table Au pasture
The lists and prices follow one another and are not the same? Maybe a little anyway, since Vanya Filipovic (My Rabbit) has just won with her Laurier a second title of sommelier of the year in just a few weeks.
After being a finalist several times, Mélanie Blanchette (Bouillon Bilk, Cadet, Place Carmin, Oncle Lee) won the prize for best service. Visibly uncomfortable, the respected restaurateur declared: “It’s not because I’m not capable of accepting a compliment, but service is truly a team job. »
Also finally winning, after numerous selections since 2018, are the scholarly seed producer Patrice Fortier, who over 23 years has built an entire universe at La Société des Plantes (producer of the year), in Kamouraska, and the exceptional butcher Nathalie Joannette , from Fou du porc, in La Pocatière.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Beverage producer of the year: Samuel Lavoie, from Ferme le Raku
Kamouraska also shines with the victory of Samuel Lavoie (drink producer of the year), who produces vibrant wines at Ferme le Raku. He, the victim two years ago of a serious accident which confined him to a wheelchair, wanted to thank all his colleagues who helped him through this ordeal of a life.
From Geneviève Everell to Janette Bertrand
For the second time since the start of the Laurels in 2018 (the first being last year, when he was a member of the jury!), Ricardo does not win the Audience Award. It rather goes to Geneviève Everell. Suffering from breast cancer, the winner delivered a particularly moving message filmed in advance in which she reminded the public of all the progress made by the “little girl from Limoilou” that she is.
The other highlight of the evening was the tender and funny tribute paid by Christian Bégin to the timeless Janette Bertrand, who declared: “To cook is to love. You can’t cook when you’re cursed! You can’t cook for someone you want to get rid of! When you want to seduce someone, you cook. So yes, cooking is love. »
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The Hommage prize was presented by Christian Bégin to Janette Bertrand.
Élise Tastet loves the restaurant industry. His company has just launched the application Tastet+, the culmination of 10 years of hard work to list the best addresses here and elsewhere. She won the prize for the influence of culinary culture.
The superb Maison de Soma, in Mont-Tremblant, won the gourmet tourism prize. Want to be more disorientated? The Rendez-vous loup marin des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, winners of the gastronomic event of the year prize, could do the trick!
The round table, a collective bringing together 168 independent Quebec tables, was chosen as business or initiative of the year for its defense of the interests of local restaurants.
After two hours of an awards ceremony hosted by Lauriers founder Christine Plante and Francis Reddy, the crowd poured into the many spaces of New City Gas to celebrate a little more.