Kat Harlton
Photos provided via Montréal en Lumière Festival
Setting the table for its 26th edition, the Montréal en Lumière festival, presented by Loto‑Québec in collaboration with National Bank, has finally unveiled its programming! From February 20 to March 9, your taste buds are invited to this star-studded feast, as international gastronomy converges in Montréal for this one-of-a-kind event. Also on the menu this year is a redesigned outdoor site that celebrates better than ever the crossroads of all the facets of Montréal en Lumière —gastronomy, music and ice skating, of course!—in a brilliant spread of readily available and free activities.
I had the opportunity to speak with Montréal en Lumière Festival’s Culinary Program Manager Julie Martel about the recent arrival of the Michelin Guide in Quebec, the culinary landscape and how the festival continues to evolve.
Kat: Could you share your thoughts on the recent arrival of the Michelin Guide in Quebec? How do you think it will impact the local culinary scene?
Julie: I believe the arrival of Michelin stars will help position Montreal as a top gastronomic destination for international tourists. Montreal is ready to welcome these visitors. For the past 26 years, Montréal en lumière has been inviting Michelin-starred chefs to Quebec, which highlights the exceptional development of Quebec’s gastronomy. This growth is partly due to efforts to democratize fine dining and make it accessible to the general public through events like Montréal en lumière.
Kat: As someone deeply connected to Quebec’s gastronomy, what are some of the key changes you’ve observed in the culinary landscape over the past few years?
Julie: I’ve noticed an increasing emphasis on local producers being featured on restaurant menus. Ingredients like camelina oil are mentioned more often, and chefs are finding creative ways to substitute imported ingredients like olive oil, vanilla, or lemon with local alternatives. Urban farming has made it possible to access fresh, local products year-round, such as mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Chefs are also exploring unique local ingredients, such as seaweed, salt from the St. Lawrence River, and even Quebec-grown saffron. The number of local wineries has exploded, with more Quebec wines now available exclusively in restaurants. Chefs have become the best ambassadors for these local producers and their products.
Additionally, since the pandemic, there’s been a stronger focus on employee well-being. Many chef-owners have adjusted their schedules, with some restaurants now closing on weekends or operating from Monday to Friday, allowing both staff and chefs more time to rest and spend with their families.
New chef associations have also emerged, enabling collaboration on government advocacy and the collective purchase of local products, which has strengthened the community.
Kat: How do you feel about the potential Michelin-star ratings for local chefs and restaurants? Which establishments do you think are strong contenders?
Julie: Quebec has a strong tradition of culinary excellence, supported by our own system of awards like the Prix Lauriers de la gastronomie québécoise. The Michelin Guide’s arrival builds on fertile ground for such recognition. As the programmer for Montréal en lumière, I follow the growth of our ecosystem closely, and in my eyes, all these chefs deserve stars.
Kat: Montréal en lumière has a rich 26-year history. How has the festival evolved, especially in terms of its culinary offerings?
Julie: Once again, I have to emphasize the importance of local products on festival menus. Chefs have developed innovative ways to cook with local ingredients and collaborate with producers to create new products. For instance, we’re seeing less black truffle and imported foie gras, as Quebec’s duck farmers and emerging truffle production meet those needs.
There’s also been an increased influence of international cuisines. For example, Maria-José De Frias, the African chef and owner of Le Virunga in Montreal, couldn’t initially find sheep for her recipes. She collaborated with a local lamb farmer, convincing him to raise sheep. The farmer not only enjoyed the results but has continued raising and processing sheep ever since.
Kat: Could you tell us about the process of pairing chefs together for the festival? What factors do you consider to ensure a memorable culinary experience?
Julie: The guest chefs are chosen according to the festival’s theme. Once the restaurants receive the theme, some ask me to invite chefs on their behalf, and I choose based on the restaurant’s philosophy, ensuring alignment with the guest chef’s vision.
In other cases, host chefs already know whom they want to invite, often following them on social media and admiring their work. A truly memorable experience occurs when guest chefs discover our culinary culture and are surprised by its variety. Many guest chefs also appreciate how we embrace winter.
Beyond food, the experience is deeply human—chefs often form lasting friendships during the festival. Guests and festival-goers also connect with the chefs, who come out of the kitchen to explain their dishes and share their stories.
Kat: This year, the festival highlights women chefs and winemakers. Can you introduce us to some of these talented women and their contributions to the event?
Winemakers
Having so many women winemakers at the festival is breathtaking because women are even less represented in the winemaking world. Here are some of the incredible winemakers participating in the event:
-Arianna Occhipinti (Sicily, Italy) – Occhipinti
-Athénaïs de Béru (Bourgogne, France) – Château de Béru
-Etheliya Hananova (Paris, France) – Comice
-Paula Papini Cook (Sienne, Italy) – Le Miccine
-Marthe Henry (Meursault, France) – Marthe Henry
-Laurence Manya Krief (Montesquieu des Albères, France) – Domaine Yoyo
-Chantal Lafarge (Volnay, France) – Domaine Michel Lafarge
-Sara Vezza (Montforte d’Alba, Italy) – Bee
-Maloof (Oregon, US) – Maloof Wines
Women Chefs
Most of them are young chefs who represent the future of gastronomy. They are part of a vibrant and dynamic culinary scene.
-Renée Lavallée (Halifax, Canada) – The Canteen
-Jessica Rosval (Modène, Italy) – Al Gatto Verde
-Moonhyung Lee (London, England) – Silo
-Manon Fleury (Paris, France) – Datil
-Laurene Barjhoux (Paris, France) – Datil
-Agata Felluga (Semproniano, Italy) – Cacciaconti
-Adeline Grattard (Paris, France) – Yam’Tcha
-Stéphanie Audet (Lisbon, Portugal) – Senhor Uva
-Victoria Boller (Paris, France) – Aux Lyonnais (Ducasse)
-Sonia Bichet (France)
-Chiara Patracchini (San Maurizio, Canavese, Italy) – La Credenza
-Gwenaelle Cadoret (Paris, France) – Bistrot Paul Bert
-Georgiana Viou (Nîmes, France) – ROUGE
-Fanny Rey (France) – Auberge de Saint-Rémy
-Sarah Cicolini (Italy) – Santo Palato
-Isabel Garcia (Paris, France)
-Louise Bourrat (Lisbon, Portugal) – BouBou’s
-Connie Zagora (Lyon, France) – Le Kitchen
Kat: Why did you decide to focus on pastry this year? What unique pastry experiences can festival-goers expect?
Julie: More and more patisseries are opening stores in Montreal, attracting media attention and even some international rankings. And in November, Montreal hosted the first Salon du Chocolat. The festival wanted to capitalize on this trend, by presenting pairings in patisseries and offering Bonnes Tables Air France the chance to welcome pastry chefs from here and around the world. We’ll be welcoming 6 international pastry chefs and 3 local pastry chefs.
Kat: What makes the Quebec terroir unique, especially in winter? How do local ingredients and traditions shape the dishes we see at the festival?
Julie: Winter presents challenges in sourcing seasonal ingredients, but Montreal’s urban farming scene—the most active in North America—allows us to work around these limitations. Winter, while challenging in terms of seasonal ingredients, is no longer a limitation thanks to Montreal’s thriving urban farming sector. The city leads globally in this area, with 57 urban agriculture businesses—compared to 33 in Chicago, 30 in Paris, and 36 in Brussels. Urban farming ensures a year-round supply of fresh ingredients, allowing chefs to incorporate local flavors even in the colder months.
Chefs also use techniques like fermentation and freezing fresh produce, including berries, mushrooms, and seaweed.
Quebec’s terroir is rich and diverse: seafood such as urchins, oysters, and lobster, and meats like pork, duck, lamb, and guinea fowl. Additionally, Quebec boasts over 600 types of fine cheeses. The creativity of Quebec’s chefs, paired with these local ingredients, results in modern, audacious, and unique dishes.
Kat: As a culinary program manager, how do you see the intersection of food and other cultural activities enriching the festival experience?
Julie: The intersection of food and cultural activities greatly enriches the festival experience by fostering a deeper connection between chefs, producers, and festival-goers. When restaurants focus on using local and seasonal products while identifying their producers on the menu, diners gain traceability and a better appreciation for the ingredients behind their meals. Local and seasonal products also help to reduce the carbon footprint, aligning with sustainable practices.
This year’s festival features some Michelin Green Star chefs, emphasizing sustainability in gastronomy. Their presence highlights practices that reduce environmental impact, with a particular focus on staff engaging diners in conversations about sustainability—a key criterion for earning a Green Michelin Star.
Festival-goers can immerse themselves in this ethos at the all-new Village Gourmand in collaboration with Mordu. It will offer exclusive and accessible menus signed Menu Extra in a friendly and warm place! Local and international chefs await you in a series of free activities just waiting to be discovered north of the Place des Festivals.
For more on the festival visit: https://montrealenlumiere.com