All of Montreal assembled around the buffet table this morning for the press announcement of the Montréal en Lumière 2026 gastronomic programming, in the beautiful McCord Stewart Museum.
It was an appropriate location: as head of programming for the winter festival Maurin Auxéméry told the packed room, the history museum was the inspiration for the theme of Montréal en Lumière's 27th edition.
The theme: A Taste of History: 65 Years of Montreal Gastronomy, inspired by the exhibition On the Menu, currently on view at the McCord Stewart Museum, which dives into the history of Montreal restaurants. Montréal en Lumière decided to join in and mine the rich history of local dining, from way back to the future, to create one-of-a-kind events that showcase stellar Montreal and international chefs.
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Chefs to the left, chefs to the right
There were dozens of chefs milling about at the press announcement, including Antonio Park, Helena Loureiro, Ian Perreault and Patrice Demers. Among the 80 restaurants participating this year, there are 25 that received MICHELIN mentions and 9 that were on the North America's 50 Best Restaurants list.
It gave a sneak peek at the calibre of events this year, pairing nostalgic dishes from Montreal's epic food past with the most lauded or up-and-coming chefs today.
Among the events not to be missed, explore Indigenous food at Bivouac when they host Huron-Wendat chef Anora Lia Collier or at État-Major, who will receive Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation chef Maxime Lizotte. Paul Toussaint will excitingly be joining forces with French whiz chef Victor Blanchet at Kamuy, while Le Ratafia will be hosting renowned Rimouski chef Colombe Saint-Pierre.
There are so many more unmissable events to list, but in short: book now for the night that Sabayon will be serving up four courses with chef Maira Yeo, crowned Asia's best pastry chef, and when Alma will be hosting Denver's starred chef Johnny Curiel. Also, the French chef and social media sensation Éloi Spinnler will be serving up 5 courses at Hélicoptère!
It's a star-studded edition, no doubt. Even the blast from the past TV chef Soeur Angèle will be featured for an unforgettable night at Modavie. Book your spot now because places are going to fly fast, and check out the extensive programming here.
