We eat well in Montreal, and throughout Quebec. The range of possibilities is impressive, with more than 6,000 restaurants in Montreal alone. But what about high-end fine dining? Compared to Europe, or even closer to New York or Chicago, which establishments offer Quebecers and tourists an exceptional culinary experience? To find out, we interviewed three specialists in the field: food writers Lesley Chesterman (Montreal Gazette), Marie-Claude Lortie (La Presse) and Thierry Daraize (Le Journal de Montréal).

Can you give us an overall picture of high-end restaurant offering in Quebec?

Lesley Chesterman

The offering is not enormous in this sector. We are not in London or Paris or New York. There are, however, some very interesting establishments, even if for the last 15 years, mainly rustic and laid-back restaurants have emerged. Fine dining, in the traditional sense, goes beyond what’s on the plate; it’s the whole experience. Above all, it’s about the way in which we are received, as if we had been expected for a long time. To me, the ultimate in fine dining is Eleven Madison Park in New York, which has just been crowned the best restaurant in the world. There, you’re pampered as if you were are something precious.

Thierry Daraize

In Quebec, fine restaurants are very affordable in comparison with what’s on offer at international destinations. Two can eat here in a high-end establishment for $200 – $400, compared to $1,500 or more in Paris. Fine dining is therefore a moderate and affordable luxury, allowing those who can afford it to treat themselves to an indulgent meal to celebrate a special occasion, for example. The tasteful setting of the Ducasse restaurants in Paris like the Plaza Athénée, or other fine restaurants elsewhere in the world, is a visual and sensory experience with a dazzling and at times ostentatious decor, exclusive designer tableware, finely-crafted crystal glasses, and silver-gilt cutlery. In Quebec, and increasingly everywhere on the planet, a new trend in restaurants is emerging, with a clientele that’s receptive to a more informal and less intimidating approach. To me, fine dining is also something that is not seen, but that we perceive; something that doesn’t dazzle us, but that seduces us and goes straight to the heart, like falling in love. We don’t know why we love someone, but we know they’re the right person for us.

When someone ask you about fine dining, which restaurants in Montreal and Quebec come to mind?

Lesley Chesterman

• Toqué!, which, to me, is the classic gourmet restaurant with an outstanding chef, Normand Laprise. It is a Relais & Châteaux member.
• Initiale, Laurie Raphaël and Légende in Quebec City, three excellent restaurants.
• Joe Beef, which exemplifies fine dining in a different way, even though the atmosphere is very relaxed, because the food is of incredibly high quality. Many stars go there and it’s difficult to get a reservation: that too means luxury.
• Bouillon Bilk as well, for the high-quality menu.
• Au Pied de Cochon: nobody will tell you this is a gourmet restaurant. However, the menu is highly creative and fine wines are served. In this sense, it’s a restaurant that redefines fine dining!
• Finally, outside of the larger cities, we have the excellent Chez Saint-Pierre in Rimouski. The locally grown food there is incomparable.

Marie-Claude Lortie

• In Montreal, Toqué! and Maison Boulud.
• In Quebec City, Initiale, if the term fine dining is taken in its traditional sense.
• If I broaden my definition and consider what’s on the plate, I would also mention Joe Beef and Le Club Chasse et Pêche for their exceptional food and fine wines, even if the atmosphere is not as plush or the service as traditional. Milos is also a fine-dining restaurant because the food choices are top-quality and hand-picked.

Thierry Daraize

In Montreal:

• Toqué!
• Européa
• La Chronique
• L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
• Maison Boulud

In Quebec City:

• Initiale
• Champlain Restaurant
• Laurie Raphaël

If you had to introduce Montreal to tourists from a fine dining point of view, where would you tell them to eat out?

Lesley Chesterman

• Au Pied de Cochon, to get away from the ordinary while tasting classic Quebec cuisine.
• L’Express, a French bistro in the Montreal style.
• And for luxury: Toqué!, Joe Beef or Moishes Steakhouse. That last is the second-oldest restaurant in Montreal, after Schwartz’s.

Marie-Claude Lortie

It all depends what they’re looking for. If they want special treatment with all the little extras, I would send them to Toqué!. But if they want to discover original cuisine, I would advise them to go to Au Pied de Cochon to try traditional dishes like tourtière with fruit ketchup, or their gourmet version of poutine, sometimes with foie gras! Joe Beef is also interesting, as it’s a coveted and glamorous place. Joe Beef is an international star! And the wine list gives you a chance to really treat yourself. For a meal on the go, I would send them to Olive & Gourmando for gourmet sandwiches!

Thierry Daraize

I would recommend restaurants that will surprise them with their daring. In Quebec, we have many iconoclastic bistro restaurants. We are specialists in creative and innovative spots such as Montreal Plaza, Provisions 1268, La Récolte, Hoogan & Beaufort, Le Mousso, Candide, and Petite Maison. For foodie and fine-dining curious tourists who want to think outside the box and who are staying for a few days, I would tell them to try Japanese, Mexican or Portuguese restaurants as well, because it is also this multi-ethnicity that makes Montreal so rich and interesting. Tapeo for tapas or Jun I for sushi, Helena for Portuguese. I would also suggest trying cuisine inspired by several cultures, such as the cooking at Grumman 78, which divinely combines Quebec and Mexican cuisine in an off-the-wall atmosphere.

Established in 1989, Andres Escobar & Associates has quickly become one of the most reputable design firms in New York, while also carving out a place in Montréal and the Middle East. In 2015, the company joined forces with the Quebec architecture firm Lemay, becoming Escobar Design by Lemay. Now, Andres Escobar and Louis T. Lemay’s team work together to offer their clients from home and abroad an expanded and integrated range of services.

Even though he is between two projects and about to jump on a plane, Andres Escobar kindly agrees to answer our questions. The talented designer, partner, and creative director at Lemay is a very busy man. Although he has been living in Montreal for several years, he spends a good portion of his time in New York. So much so that “his clients think he lives there,” he says with an air of amusement. Escobar has managed to make a name for himself on the demanding New York market, particularly through his ingenious conversion of the Gretsch Guitar Factory into condominiums in 2001. Since then, he has seen a leap in projects in the Big Apple in the commercial interior, hotel, and high-end residential design sectors. In 2012, the Escobar Design by Lemay team successfully built a very specific brand identity for the Jade Hotel, located in Greenwich Village. “We used an Art Deco style inside the hotel. The rooms have a very Parisian retro charm, but are equipped with state-of-the-art technology,” says the designer.

Jade Hotel © Adam Friedberg

More recently, the firm transformed a former commercial building on 17th Street and 9th Avenue into a luxurious townhouse. The home has five floors, and includes a cellar, a fitness room, an indoor pool, and a large parking area. Last year, Escobar Design by Lemay designed the interior of the Holiday Inn hotel in downtown Brooklyn. “We were able to respect the hotel’s strict safety standards while achieving a very glamorous design that reflects the spirit of this trendy Brooklyn neighbourhood,” says Escobar.

Internationally, Escobar Design by Lemay is continuing its expansion. The firm was hired by the royal family of Abu Dhabi to design a luxury hotel project, the H Resort in the Seychelles. “We collaborated with local architects and have been involved at all levels, from the planning of the site to the design of the hotel’s lobby, bars, restaurants, swimming pools, villas, spa, and children’s club.”

H Resort © Lemay / H Resort

Escobar Design by Lemay is also involved in many projects in Montreal (Humaniti) and Laval (Équinoxe). However, 70% of its clientele is international. This was the intended direction of the union between Escobar & Associates and Lemay. “Today, we’re able to deploy the firm abroad and work on major projects as a result of our complementarity. But we’re only halfway along our journey towards our objectives. We want to broaden our services by working on the external design of our clients’ projects in New York, as well as elsewhere in the United States and the world,” concludes Escobar. As you can see, Escobar Design by Lemay has the wind in its sails, and its journey is far from finished.

Text: Diane Stehle

Founded in 1992, SIRCO is now a leading fraud, drug and corruption investigator and top provider of private protection services. The company is very active in Canada while also being involved in major complex cases across the globe. We interviewed Claude Sarrazin, Founding President of SIRCO.

What is SIRCO’s mission?

In a word, to solve problems! (laughs) More seriously, SIRCO offers services related to fraud investigation, problems in the workplace, cybercrime and a number of other situations. We also offer personal and property protection services, ad hoc consultation services, and prevention services designed to reduce risk and losses.

Who are your services for?

Our services are aimed at SMEs, multinational companies, retail businesses, and government agencies. We are present in Canada and around the world, especially in Europe and the Persian Gulf.

How many people work in the company and what kind of experts do you have?

The company employs 120 people from varied backgrounds. Some of our experts come from a police background, others from the computer industry, and others from the surveillance sector. The multidisciplinary nature of our team creates cohesion and helps us find complete solutions.

Can you give us some examples of your achievements?

Because of the nature of our activities, we are bound by professional secrecy. But I can tell you that currently the cannabis legislation is keeping us very busy. More generally, we have recently been involved with organizations that had corruption and collusion problems. We have conducted tailing for thousands of cases related to absenteeism or theft, for example. We also regularly conduct investigations and audits related to cybercrime. As a result of many of our cases, we are also directly or indirectly quoted in the media on a regular basis.

The internet and computer technology now take up a lot of space in our lives. Does cyber security occupy an important place in your activities as a result?

Yes, and we are experiencing a lot of growth in this area of our activities. More and more people are rightly concerned about the security of their data. We tend to feel safe when we surf the web or use other electronic applications, when in fact that is not the case. Currently, one of the major issues for businesses has to do with the security of confidential data, including e-mails, telephone conversations, etc.

SIRCO is present everywhere in the world and participates in large-scale projects. How do you explain your business’s success?

I’m still very much active in the field. I focus on operations and delegate the administrative side of the company. In addition, I’m a member of various international boards in the new technology sector. As a result, I’m involved in issues related to technology and information security. This link between my involvement on the ground and my overall knowledge of the environment puts me in a position to help organizations. Additionally, I’m involved with social groups, including crime prevention groups such as the International Centre for the Prevention of Crime. Nothing beats being in the field, raising awareness among young people.

www.groupesirco.com

Text: Diane Stehle

What is the importance of classical music in today’s world? Kent Nagano, now in his 12th year at the helm of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, addresses this concern. That question is at the source of the programming offered by the OSM for its 2017-2018 season, with the 375th anniversary of the City of Montreal well under way. Each week, the Maison symphonique de Montréal concert hall will be filled with the sound of the orchestra, with over 100 concerts being presented there.

On the heels of initiating the “Musique aux enfants” children’s music program, an achievement the maestro is proud of and which reminds us of the mobilizing power of music when action is guided by the heart, OSM artistic director Kent Nagano is presenting a new season imbued with humanism. Over 60 highly varied programmes have been designed to captivate an audience of all ages.

In no particular order, here are some of the nice surprises this new season holds for us:

• Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand opens the season on a grand scale

• A finale with the complete Beethoven symphonies

• Several Mozart concerts

• Four sacred works: Verdi’s Requiem, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, Saint-Saëns’s Christmas Oratorio and Bach’s Magnificat

• Nordic Festival from Mathieu to Sibelius, with AlainLefèvre and Samian

• Express concerts: early and short

• Three great names perform in recital: pianists Mikhail Pletnev, Yuja Wang and Maurizio Pollini

• “The Devil in a Birchbark Canoe”: a Christmas tale from Michel Tremblay

• A concert in the dark for an immersive experience in sound

As maestro Nagano, himself always deeply engaged in the community, puts it so well: “Classical music reminds us that, even as times change, the human spirit demonstrates remarkable constancy.”

www.osm.ca

The Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada is a true economic generator not only in Montreal, but also in Quebec and throughout Canada. It draws in large crowds, including a wealthy clientele from all over the world. LUXE met with its head, François Dumontier, in the lead-up to the event’s 50th anniversary.

THE GRAND PRIX DU CANADA ATTRACTS SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND VISITORS EVERY YEAR, A PORTION OF WHICH ARE WEALTHY. COULD YOU GIVE US A MORE PRECISE DESCRIPTION?

First of all, I would like to point out that the Grand Prix du Canada appeals to a broad audience, including many families and children, as well as an affluent clientele. Among our guests, 52% come from outside Quebec, of whom 27% are from the United States and 7% from Europe. Our event also draws in many guests from Brazil and Mexico.

WHICH GOODS AND SERVICES DOES THIS AFFLUENT CLIENTELE LOOK FOR?

This particular clientele seeks high-end services and goods in every line of business. They sit in private boxes, dine in good restaurants and sleep at luxury hotels. Wealthy individuals enjoy anything that is exclusive and attend many parties. I would also like to remind you that some restaurant owners owe 30% of their annual sales figure to the Grand Prix du Canada. Montréal-Trudeau airport experiences peak activity on the weekend of the race.

WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC SPIN-OFFS PROVIDED BY THE GRAND PRIX DU CANADA?

The Grand Prix has been Canada’s biggest sport and tourism event for many years now. According to a 2015 study, total expenditures add up to 90 million dollars, which is impressive for a three-day event! Some people take part in the event without ever setting foot in the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, as they only want to enjoy the atmosphere and festivities.

WHAT IS THE EVENT’S IMPACT IN QUEBEC AND IN CANADA?

For our foreign guests, the Grand Prix du Canada is a tourist attraction. The take the opportunity to come stay in Quebec or elsewhere in Canada. They visit the City of Quebec, Niagara Falls or the Rocky Mountains. In fact, our Octane Travel Solutions division offers customers tourism packages.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE GRAND PRIX DU CANADA’S ROLE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY, BEYOND ECONOMIC IMPACT?

This event enjoys an outstanding reputation worldwide and has made it to the top 3 F1 Grand Prix event standings. It is an exceptional showcase for Montreal and for Canada as a whole. The race is broadcast on television in 200 countries, often during prime time in Europe.

© Groupe de Course Octane

WHAT ARE THE ITS MAIN ATTRACTIONS?

Unlike racetracks in most other countries, the one in Canada is located close to the city centre. The circuit is easily accessible by subway and boasts stands and boxes installed right in front of all the action. Guests can smell the octane and feel the heat of the tires—what could be more perfect to get them pumped up?

THIS YEAR MARKS THE GRAND PRIX DU CANADA’S 50thANNIVERSARY. WHAT DOES THIS MILESTONE MEAN TO YOU?

The Grand Prix du Canada is the oldest F1 race outside Europe. We’re very proud of its popularity today and honoured to organize its 50th anniversary this year, which will complement the celebrations held for Montréal’s 375th anniversary as well as those highlighting the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

WILL SPECIAL EVENTS BE HELD FOR THE OCCASION?

Definitely. We have many surprises in store for visitors, which are currently a well-kept secret!

THIS ANNIVERSARY MATCHES THE YEAR OF YOUR BIRTHDAY, AS YOU TURNED 50 LAST FEBRUARY. YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE GRAND PRIX DU CANADA FOR 25 YEARS; HOW DO YOU LOOK BACK ON THIS JOURNEY?

I was born in 1967, when the first-ever Grand Prix du Canada took place. We are bound by destiny, in a way! I climbed the corporate ladder until 2010, when I became President. I witnessed the Grand Prix’s growth as well as historic moments, such as when Jacques Villeneuve won the World Championship in 1997. I was also at the Williams factory at the moment Lance Stroll’s hiring was confirmed. My job is also my passion. Each year, at the start of the race, I’m on the edge of my seat. Then, on the following Monday, we’re back to square one and return to work to prepare for next year’s race!

The Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada will take place on Montréal’s Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 9, 10 and 11, 2017.

www.circuitgillesvilleneuve.ca

Text: Diane Stehle

Perched 365 metres above the Pacific Ocean, the Post Ranch Inn nestles in gloriously wild scenery. It was designed by talented architect Mickey Muenning, and its natural design melts into the sublime scenery along the California coastline. Nature lovers seeking absolute tranquillity will be in Heaven.

After you follow the legendary Route 1 through the heart of the Big Sur, a magnificent park with an area of over 100 acres awaits you, with wild brush, sequoias and hiking trails. Amidst this marvellous setting you’ll find sits the Post Ranch Inn. You’ll barely have time to get out of your car before you’re greeted with a glass of champagne. What a great start to your stay! Then the valet will take charge of your vehicle and you’ll be led to your luxurious clifftop house.

ELEGANT HOUSES IN THE TREES

Management at the Post Ranch Inn cares about preserving the exceptional natural environment, and offers its visitors 39 suites and rooms built from natural materials. Set on pilings over 300 metres above the ocean, these luxurious houses offer absolute comfort and have an unbeatable view of the ocean or the mountains. They all have an indoor fireplace and private terrace, but you won’t find a telephone or a television. Absolute relaxation means total disconnection from anything that causes stress and worry. Besides providing a change of scenery, the Post Ranch Inn wants to be a wellness destination where you have the opportunity to get to know yourself again.

ABSOLUTE RELAXATION

Text: Diane Stehle

Photos: Kodiak Greenwood

The Auberge Saint-Antoine, a Relais & Châteaux member, along with its restaurant Panache, have won four stars in the Forbes Travel Guide’s official 2017 ranking. This distinction is the latest in a series of excellence awards received in recent months (Best Hotel in Canada by TripAdvisor’s 2017 Travellers’ Choice Awards, and Best 4-Star Hotel in Canada by the 2017 Trivago Awards with a 95.39% rating, the best for all categories combien). 

In addition to this recent award,the gorgeous hotel located in Quebec City’s Old Port received acclaim from the travel website TripAdvisor. In addition to being in the top 1% of hotels, the property is now featured in the website’s very select Hall of Fame category. “These awards have been possible thanks to tremendous teamwork and the fact that e’re continually re-assessing and re-evaluating,” say Dagmar and Guy Lombard, the hotel’s new directors. Auberge Saint-Antoine has 95 luxurious rooms and suites, as well as six meeting and reception rooms with state-of- the-art technology, originality, culture and history.

www.saint-antoine.com