What’s being served up this year?
The 2018 lineup of visiting chefs for Montréal en lumière is probably the least scintillating in the festival’s history.
Teachers from top international cooking schools have been invited, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec. The CôteNord region of Quebec is also featured, with three visiting chefs.
Looking through the program, I selected four events that are sure to be excellent.
1. Tribute to Paul Bocuse (La Chronique, 104 Laurier Ave. W.; Tuesday, Feb. 27 to Saturday, March 3, 6:30 p.m.; lachronique. qc.ca). La Chronique chefs Marc De Canck and Olivier de Montigny will present a five-service menu dedicated to Bocuse.
2. Truffle menu at Brasserie T (1425 Jeanne-Mance St.; various dates, 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.; brasserie-t.com). Toqué! chef Normand Laprise and Brasserie T chef André Sterling are famous for these annual truffle menus, served as brunch or dinner. Always a hot ticket.
3. Atsushi Tanaka at Le Mousso (1023 Ontario St. E.; Tuesday, Feb. 27 and Wednesday, Feb. 28, 6 p.m.; 438-384-7410). Tanaka, of Restaurant A.T by Atsushi Tanaka in Paris, was born in Japan but established himself in Europe, at restaurantsincluding Pierre Gag na ire in Paris, Quique Dacosta in Spain, Pastorale in Belgium and, more recently, Geranium in Copenhagen, Frantzén and Oaxen in Sweden, and Oud Sluis in the Netherlands. This collaboration with Antonin Mousseau-Rivard is sure to be a showstopper.
4. Daniel Boulud alumni dinner (Monday, Feb. 19 and Tuesday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m., Maison Boulud, 1228 Sherbrooke St. W.; maisonboulud.com). What do Patrick Kriss (chef/co-owner of Aloin Toronto ), Dale Mac Kay (winner of the first season of Top Chef Canada and chef/owner of Ayden Kitchen and Bar in Saskatoon), Thomas Haas (pastry chef and owner of Thomas Haas Chocolates in Vancouver) and Riccardo Bertolino (executive chef of Maison Boulud at the Ritz) have in common? They’ve all worked in the empire of star New York chef Daniel Boulud, and will gather at his Montreal restaurant to collaborate on a mentor’s dinner in this pre-festival event.