Latest news with #LesleyChesterman
Toronto Star
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
Take a nostalgic tour of Montreal's iconic foods, from a famous plate of lobster spaghetti to the battle of the bagels
Canadian Travel Only in Canada is a new travel series that acts as a love letter to the bucket-list destinations and experiences in our beautiful country. Look for the Only in Canada series every week. There's nothing precious about the presentation at Au Pied de Cochon, Montreal's legendary temple of Quebecois decadence, but there's a flair for the dramatic. The signature canard en conserve (duck in a can) arrives as described, a server cutting off the lid tableside and spilling out the goods: a half duck breast, hunk of foie gras, butter-braised cabbage and roasted garlic, in a puddle of balsamic demi-glace. Chances are you've heard about this place and this entrée, one of the city's signature dishes (as long-time Montreal restaurant critic Lesley Chesterman has proclaimed). Culinary tourists everywhere were tipped off by a 2006 episode of 'No Reservations,' wherein Anthony Bourdain declared chef Martin Picard 'a personal idol,' and Au Pied de Cochon one of his 'very favourites in the world.' This city has no shortage of dining destinations, and last week Michelin finally bestowed stars in Quebec for the first time. Montreal earned three one-star ratings (awarded to Europea, Mastard and Sabayon) — a frankly underwhelming tally that had the local press questioning if Michelin really gets Montreal at all. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Au Pied de Cochon's decadent canard en conserve. The ingredients are sealed in a can, then cooked in submerged water for 27 minutes. Au Pied de Cochon The better judges? Montrealers. You don't need a Michelin guide to know about Joe Beef, for example, which competes with Au Pied for irreverence and indulgence. (To be clear, both did make Michelin's list of 'recommended' places, akin to honourable mentions.) Joe Beef is widely recognized as one of the city's most influential restaurants, where diners clamour for the steaks and the cream-drenched lobster spaghetti, probably the most popular dish. If you want a taste of the places that reflect the city or helped define the food culture, look to the venerable institutions that are still going strong, decades on. And if you can, tour around with a passionate local. 'We have such a unique culture here that doesn't feel like the rest of Quebec and also doesn't feel like the rest of Canada. It has shared connections with Canada and Quebec, but there's a 'Montrealism' that's purely Montreal,' says Thom Seivewright, the guide also known as @montrealexpert on Instagram and founder of Tours Montréal. He shows travellers around town on themed or custom, private walking tours, highlighting places like Chez Tousignant (a decade-old 'tribute to Quebecois junk food,' specifically casse - croûte staples such as poutine and hot dogs) or the Jean-Talon Market, an impressive open-air cornucopia that dates back to 1933. 'It's a producers' market — you can't sell here unless you produce something,' says Seivewright. Like so many places in Canada, Montreal was transformed by waves of immigration. This was once home to the country's largest Jewish community, and you can credit this history for the Eastern European foods now synonymous with the city: smoked meat and the bagel. Schwartz's Deli is a Montreal institution that opened in 1928. Smoked-meat fans still line up for the brisket on rye. Eva Blue/Tourisme Montréal Particularly in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Jewish immigrants from countries like Romania arrived, importing their knowledge of preserving meat in this era before trusty fridges. Reuben Schwartz was one such newcomer, establishing Schwartz's Deli in 1928. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Reputedly it's now the oldest deli in Canada. The decor remains a blast from the past, the secret recipe has stayed true to the original, and the crowds keep coming for the piled-high brisket on rye. Céline Dion is a fan (and part owner). In nearby Mile-End, St-Viateur and Fairmount continue to vie for the title of Montreal's best bagel. There are duelling lineups, historical claims, celebrity endorsements. Fairmount boasts that it's Montreal's first bagel bakery, dating back to 1919. St-Viateur, opened in 1957 and once frequented by Leonard Cohen, brags it's 'the longest running bagel shop.' St-Viateur is one of the city's most famous bagel shops. It has a long-running rivalry with nearby Fairmount, another icon. Eva Blue/Tourisme Montréal Bagels at both are rolled by hand, boiled in honey water (unlike New York's girthy, more savoury style), and baked in wood-fired ovens the old-fashioned way. Fairmount's version tends to taste sweeter, at least sometimes, especially when eaten hot and fresh, depending on who's judging. 'It's so close, and I'm not just trying to be diplomatic,' says Seivewright, who runs a two-hour tour dedicated wholly to the Montreal bagel, complete with a blind taste test to decide the winner. Whichever way you lean, this may be the most essential Montreal food tradition of all: debating (and disputing) what's most delicious here. Wing Sze Tang travelled with some trip support from Tourisme Montréal, which did not review or approve this article.
Globe and Mail
15-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
The Michelin Guide has arrived in Quebec. Here's the list of all nine restaurants given stars
The wait is over for Quebec's food lovers, as the world-famous Michelin Guide has announced its first-ever list in the province, awarding nine restaurants with stars (or étoiles). Quebec is the third destination for the guide in Canada, after Toronto and Vancouver restaurants received their first stars in 2022. Operating in more than 30 countries around the world, the Michelin Guide can award restaurants up to three culinary stars, though this achievement is rare. Founded in the 1900s by the French tire company – yes, the same company that originated the Michelin Man – the guide became a pivotal way to encourage travelling to featured destinations. Thus, boosting tire and gas sales in the process. However, Michelin and its guide have been subject to heavy criticism, including concerns about lists being partially funded by tourism organizations, and descriptions of the featured restaurants being Eurocentric and elitist. Quebec food writer Lesley Chesterman also noted in her Substack that the province's restaurants often aren't 'gourmet' in the sense of the high-end establishments so often rewarded with Michelin stars. With that said, the guide has taken on the reputation as a symbol of excellence in the culinary industry, and receiving even one star can result in boosted revenue and buzz for businesses. The Michelin Guide for Quebec is out – and the province's capital city is making a splash The first-ever list for Quebec features a range of eateries, highlighting the province's diverse food scene and must-try experiences. Tanière³, located in the heart of Quebec City, has notably joined the exclusive club of two-starred Canadian spots, joining Sushi Masaki Saito in Toronto. The Quebec restaurant showcases a contemporary tasting menu with an emphasis on its refined experience and culinary craftsmanship, helmed by chef François-Emmanuel Nicol. Here's a look at all the restaurants that received one (or more) étoiles. Two stars Type of cuisine: Contemporary Chef: François-Emmanuel Nicol Region: Quebec City (36½ Rue Saint-Pierre) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'In what might be described as his gastronomic research laboratory, avant-garde Chef François-Emmanuel Nicol explores all the nuances to be derived from the immense terroir of Québec's boreal zone. Sophisticated cooking methods, succulent sauces and a rigorous balance of flavours make this cuisine a resounding triumph: think matured tuna, pickled matsutake slices, sunflower cream, or Québec Wagyu tataki, wild rose, morels, and roasted onions. The pastry chef proposes a woodland-inspired autumnal dessert with a mushroom-infused mille-feuille.' One star Type of cuisine: Modern/Creative Chef: Julien Masia Region: Quebec City (519 3e Ave.) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'Over the course of the single set menu (available in 'regular' and vegetarian versions), ingredients from Québec's terroir enjoy their moment of glory: fresh tuna is accompanied by mint and watermelon, halibut from the Gaspé Peninsula with carrot and agastache, and eggplant with basil and hay.' One star Type of cuisine: Creative Chefs: Cassandre Osterroth, Pierre-Olivier Couture Region: Quebec City (767 Rue Saint-Joseph E.) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'The concept: to welcome 10 guests at a fixed time, in a friendly atmosphere, around a majestic central table. Their cuisine, strictly Québécois, showcases local ingredients with astonishing simplicity. The dishes are a testament to precise cooking, whether the marinated cod in smoked oil, the scallops in a herring bone jus, or the roasted quail breast. Foraged herbs – fresh or dried – and smoky notes underpin every dish.' One star Type of cuisine: Modern/Creative Chef: Jérôme Ferrer Region: Montreal (1065 Rue de la Montagne) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'This seasoned chef showcases seasonal produce and ingredients from Québec's terroir (bison, scallops from the Magdalen Islands, etc.) in modern dishes that often demonstrate a hint of creativity: spot prawn and pear marinated in wild ginger and burnt citrus; buckwheat tartlet with foie gras and Jerusalem artichoke, Québec hazelnut praline. Certain French dishes are given a twist–for instance tartiflette or kugelhopf, the latter prepared using Alpine sweetgrass.' One star Type of cuisine: Modern/Creative Chef: Daniel Vézina Region: Quebec City (117 Rue Dalhousie) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'This is the Vézina family establishment, and it is Raphaël, the founder's son, who now holds the reins. This seasoned chef showcases seasonal produce and ingredients from Québec's terroir (bison, scallops from the Magdalen Islands, etc.) in modern dishes that often demonstrate a hint of creativity: spot prawn and pear marinated in wild ginger and burnt citrus; buckwheat tartlet with foie gras and Jerusalem artichoke, Québec hazelnut praline.' One star Type of cuisine: Creative/Regional Chef: Elliot Beaudoin Region: Quebec City (255 Rue Saint-Paul) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'Elliot Beaudoin, a former associate of the restaurant Tanière³ – serves up a cuisine that is rooted in Québec's terroirs. This establishment sets itself apart by using only local ingredients and eschewing exotic ingredients such as chocolate, pepper, citrus fruit, and vanilla. The menu celebrates little-known indigenous ingredients, which are put to clever and creative use.' One star Type of cuisine: Modern Chef: Simon Mathys Region: Montreal (1879 Rue Bélanger) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'The contemporary space, designed for around 50 diners, is organized around a bar-counter. The chef devises a resolutely original carte blanche menu centred on local ingredients. Every dish is made with quality produce and executed in a modern and trendy style that won't fail to make an impression.' One star Type of cuisine: Modern/Creative Chef: Norman St-Pierre Region: Rimouski (144-A Av. de la Cathédrale) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'The small spot is only open three evenings a week, led by a humble chef who welcomes guests like friends – personally involving himself in the reception and service and passionate about showcasing Québec products he carefully selects. Offering a single fixed menu which changes every two months, the cuisine is thoughtfully creative, technically executed and invites diners on a journey, with dishes inspired by the chef's travels around the world.' One star Type of cuisine: Modern Chef: Patrice Demers Region: Montreal (2194 Centre St.) What the Michelin inspectors said: 'The chef has taken an atypical route to this kitchen, having trained in pâtisserie before turning his hand to cooking. Patrice Demers creates vivid, accessible, and unpretentious dishes that allow the Québec terroir to shine. Fruit and vegetables reign supreme, especially in the summer, when the menu is almost entirely meat-free.'
Montreal Gazette
15-05-2025
- General
- Montreal Gazette
Former Gazette fine-dining critic Lesley Chesterman among eight women to receive Order of Montreal
Lesley Chesterman is to receive the Order of Montreal. The former Gazette fine-dining critic and cookbook author is among a special cohort of eight women selected by Mayor Valérie Plante who will receive the honour in a ceremony on Friday, in addition to the regular recipients of the award. Trained at the Institut de Tourisme et d'Hôtellerie, Chesterman worked as a pastry chef in Quebec and France before becoming The Gazette's fine-dining critic from 1998 to 2018. She is the author of the cookbooks Make Every Dish Delicious (Oct. 18, 2022), Un Week-End chez Lesley and Chez Lesley: Mes secrets pour tout réussir en cuisine, and appears regularly in various Quebec media. Other recipients of the award include author Kim Thúy, former premier Pauline Marois, Inuk singer-songwriter Elisapie, journalist and personality Janette Bertrand, former pediatrician-hematologist and university professor Yvette Bonny, former Quebec Superior Court judge France Charbonneau and Léa Cousineau, first female president of the executive committee of the city of Montreal. The ceremony will take place at the official inauguration of the Place des Montréalaises and the Place Marie-Josèphe-Angélique on Friday, both dedicated to women from diverse origins who have shown engagement to the city in various domains throughout history. 'After eight years as the first woman mayor of Quebec's biggest city, I wanted to honour and celebrate eight remarkable women who participated in the history of the city, its heritage and its identity,' Plante said in a statement. 'As we approach the inauguration of the Place des Montréalaises and Montreal's anniversary, we give these symbols of the Order of Montreal to a cohort specially created for these women who contributed, each in their respective sphere, to the development, the edification, the influence and advancement of Montreal and of Quebec society as a whole. 'I'm very proud to make this exceptional gesture, combined with the inauguration of the Place des Montréalaises, strong gestures that mark the territory by recognizing builders of Montreal, which these women are.'
CBC
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Michelin to unveil its stars for the best food in Quebec in May
Social Sharing Michelin will reveal its culinary picks from Quebec next month. The prestigious restaurant guide says it will release its recommendations from the province on May 15. The company says it will make the announcement in a news release instead of the usual ceremony featuring a bevy of local chefs and speeches from eateries that get a star. Michelin announced last year that it would embark on a provincewide quest for the best food Quebec has on offer. WATCH | Former restaurant critic says Michelin Guide has been a 'long time coming': What does the arrival of the Michelin Guide in Quebec mean for the province? 7 months ago Duration 5:30 Former restaurant critic Lesley Chesterman says the greatest thing about this news is that the Michelin Guide will include regions outside of Montreal, adding that Quebec City chefs wanted it 'even more than the Montreal chefs.' Quebec is one of three Michelin Guide destinations in Canada, along with Toronto and Vancouver. Michelin says its Quebec restaurant selection will be based on its usual criteria, which awards stars based on food quality, the mastery of cooking techniques and consistency. Michelin-starred restaurants in Canada include Sushi Masaki Saito in Toronto — the only one in the country with two stars — and Barbara in Vancouver.
