At Montreal en Lumière, chefs from around the world convene to showcase decadent flavours, including a focus in 2025 on pastries. (Photo courtesy of Montreal en Lumière)
Much more, than your average festival, Montreal en Lumière, is a grand celebration of Quebec’s largest city in winter. From February 20 to March 9, the city lights up with musical performances, cultural attractions, an illuminated and immersive skating trail, art installations. and the all-night event, “Nuit Blanche in Montreal.”
And then there’s the culinary experiences that include a star-studded lineup of award-winning chefs, sommeliers, and winemakers who come from around the world and team with the more than 60 local restaurants that are involved as hosts. Of the 90 guest presenters from eight different countries, 70% are female chefs, pastry chefs, and winemakers. Any wonder it is one of the city’s most popular events of the year for foodies?
Julie Martel, Gastronomy Program Manager, combines over 20 years of festival management experience with her passion for food to curate the exciting segment of the festival. Vacay.ca spoke with her recently to find out all about the event.
Julie Martel manages the gastronomy programming for Montreal en Lumière, one of the city’s most beloved annual festivals. (Photo courtesy of Montreal en Lumière)
Vacay.ca: Your background is in festival management. Tell us about your love of food and why this is the dream job for you.
JM: For me, it is wonderful to blend my experience with my love for gastronomy. I have been a food fan since I was a little girl. My mother and my aunt did a lot of cooking. When they were making apple pies, I would sit on the counter eating raw dough. Thanks to my mum, I know what good food is. Food is also art, it is culture, and it is identity. And very important when we travel. We might go to the theatre, we might go to a concert, we might go to a museum, but we always eat and I think that is the ultimate experience of a culture.
Vacay.ca: What are your biggest challenges with the festival about to open?
JM: We have been preparing since June. We are ready to welcome everybody. The biggest challenge is one we can’t control — waiting for 60 chefs coming from all over the world to arrive. We can’t control the weather or the planes arriving on time.
The ingredients of Quebec are gloriously featured at Montreal en Lumière. Among the participating local restaurants is Auberge Saint-Gabriel, recognized for its high-end dishes. (Photo courtesy of Montreal en Lumière)
Vacay.ca: How do you choose the hosts and the celebrity guests? And how do you pair them?
JM: We choose the guests based on the festival’s theme. Some host chefs know who they would like to invite, because they follow them on social media and feel the fit would be good. Then I send the invitation on their behalf. Or from my research all year round, I suggest several chefs to a host; they choose and we send the invitation.
Beyond food, chefs often form lasting friendships during the festival. Festival-goers also connect with the chefs, who come out of the kitchen to explain their dishes and share their stories.
Vacay.ca: This year, your focus is on women chefs, wine makers, and sommeliers. What was the impetus for this decision?
JM: When I looked at the stats after the festival last year, I realized we hadn’t invited enough women. I also realized that Michelin is now highlighting women in their guide. When I proposed the idea to the organizers, the response from local restaurants was great.
Vacay.ca: You are also spotlighting pastry chefs.
JM: From all the reading I was doing, I realized a lot of new pastry boutiques were opening in Montreal. And a lot were getting awards from around the world. Pastry is becoming more and more popular. And pastry chefs are getting better. We needed to jump on the trend while it was hot.
Maria-José de Frias of Le Virunga restaurant is one of the leading female chefs in Montreal who will be at the city’s annual en Lumière festival. (Photo courtesy of Montreal en Lumière)
Vacay.ca: Aside from these two main themes, what else is on the agenda?
JM: Tea Time is new this year. Today there’s a trend in the afternoon break ritual. New places are opening and only offering tea time. A total of 10 participating restaurants will lay out an afternoon tea spread that will warm up visitors while providing a savoury and sweet afternoon treat. Last year we introduced brunch. Now festival-goers can enjoy brunch, then tea time, go on for cocktails, and cap it off with dinner. All in one day.
We will have sommelier-led wine tastings. A 90-minute tasting will include five wines and spirits accompanied by charcuterie, for a fee of $79 plus tax.
On the second floor of the Maison du Festival, cocktail lovers will be pleased to find “Les Apéros Montreal en Lumière.” Two Paint & Sip workshops that will take place during the Nuit Blanche. Fans of fondue won’t want to miss Chez Canton, a pop-up restaurant also on the second floor of the Maison du Festival. This year, there will be more than 25 restaurants scattered throughout the city showcasing innovative and exclusive creations.
The festival will feature a variety of popular outdoor activity programing, including winter sports, skating, and live music. The all-new Village Gourmand will feature live entertainment.
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Vacay.ca: How are winemakers and sommeliers involved?
JM: The restaurants were amazing in finding them and inviting them. They are coming from France and Italy and from Quebec, Geneviève Thisdel is representing Les Bacchantes Winery. A guest chef paired with a guest wine-maker.
Vacay.ca: What are some of the changes you have seen in the Quebec food scene in the past few years?
JM: A lot of exciting things. Chefs are using more and more local products. People are more interested in where their food has come from and who has produced it. More producers are being listed on menus. Cultural diversity and inclusion are essential ingredients in shaping the festival’s culinary programming.
The explosion of urban farming insures a year-round supply of local produce such as cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, and tomatoes. There are now 57 urban agriculture businesses in Montreal. 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 flavours even in the colder months.
Chefs are also exploring unique local ingredients, such as seaweed, salt from the St. Lawrence River, and even Quebec-grown saffron. They have developed innovative ways to use local ingredients and collaborate with producers.
The number of local wineries has exploded, with more Quebec wines now available exclusively in restaurants.
An outdoor skating trail is a highlight attraction at Montreal en Lumière. (Victor Diaz Lamich photo)
Vacay.ca: What is unique about the Quebec terroir?
JM: 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..
Vacay.ca: Michelin is coming to Quebec this spring. What effect will that have on the culinary scene here?
JM: It will position Montreal as a North American gastronomic capital. It will bring more international visitors and we are ready to welcome them.
