Unveiling of the finalists of the 3rd edition of the Lauriers de la Gastronomie

Returning after a year of absence due to the pandemic, the Lauriers gala, which rewards excellence in Quebec gastronomy, unveiled on March 23 the finalists for the 2021 edition, which focuses on the revival of the industry. Text by Benoit Valois-Nadeau "At the dawn of 2021, we decided it was time to come back. The industry needs to come together. When things are going well, it's fun to celebrate and say well done, but it's even more important to be together and support each other when things are not going so well," said Christine Plante, executive director of the Lauriers de la gastronomie québécoise , during a virtual press conference. While gastronomy artisans have experienced an extremely difficult year punctuated by closures, reopenings and staff reductions, the Lauriers are "an opportunity to highlight, inspire and bring together" members of the gastronomy industry, according to Christine Plante. This third gala features 95 nominees in 16 categories, including Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, and Producer of the Year. The Brewer, Winemaker, or Beverage Producer of the Year category has been added, while the Food Truck of the Year category has been removed. The awards will be presented on May 24, one month later than usual. "We want to celebrate when the industry is as open as possible," explained Christine Plante, for whom it was important to hold the event before the start of the "big tourist season" in order to provide Quebec foodies with a list of places to visit during the holidays. Christian Bégin will be back to host this celebration of Quebec gastronomy, which will be presented in a virtual format, free of charge, and open to all. Depending on how the health situation evolves, the organization hopes to broadcast the evening in 5 to 10 restaurants in the province, where the gala can be broadcast on a giant screen and watched in groups like a hockey game or an election night. Christine Plante intends to use this platform to salute the resilience of restaurateurs. "The pandemic has opened our eyes to the love we have for restaurants. It's when we're deprived of something that we realize the privilege we had. I believe that when they reopen, there will be an exceptional wave of love," she said, also emphasizing the importance of a dialogue on the future of the sector.

"We want to look to the future. We've learned a lot from the past year, and we need to discuss the best ways to get back on our feet." Christine Plante

The winners will be chosen jointly by the Brigade des Lauriers, which brings together nearly 5,000 industry professionals from all areas of gastronomy from across Quebec, and a jury chaired by sommelier Véronique Rivest. Cheesemaker Suzanne Dufresne, journalist Marie-Claude Lortie, Jean-Sébastien Michel, owner of the Alambika boutique, chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard and Alexander Reford, director of Jardins de Métis, complete the jury. A text by Benoit Valois-Nadeau published on the Caribou magazine website .

The 2021 Lauriers finalists

Restaurant of the Year ARVI, Quebec Battuto, Quebec Candide, Montreal Casgrain BBQ/Vin Mon Lapin, Montreal East side, Kamouraska Floating Island, Montreal The Epicurean, Val-David The Beautiful Story, Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson Mastard, Montreal Montreal Plaza, Montreal Chefs of the Year Camilo Nacimento-Lapointe & Francis Blais, Menu Extra, Montreal Charles-Antoine Crête, Montreal Plaza, Montreal Colombe St-Pierre, Chez St-Pierre, Le Bic Dyan Solomon, Olive + Gourmando, Foxy, Un Po Di Piu, Montreal Fisun Ercan, Bika Farm & Kitchen, Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu Graziella Battista, Graziella, Montreal John Winter Russell, Candide, Montreal Julien Masia, ARVI, Quebec Marc-Olivier Frappier, Vin Mon Lapin, Montreal Vincent Dion-Lavallée, The Cabin Next Door, Mirabel The Public Laurel Bob the Boss St. Peter's Dove Genevieve Everell Jerome Ferrer Josée di Stasio Martin Juneau Martin Picard Normand Laprise Ricardo Stefano Faita Revelations of the year Alexis Demers, Camilo Nacimento-Lapointe, Francis Blais & Martin C. Pariseau, Menu Extra, Montreal Anita Feng, J’ai Feng, Montreal Arianne Faucher & Nicolas Quinto, Baumier Wine Bar, Piedmont Christophe Mamelonet, The Fisherman's House, Percé Fanny Ducharme, The Epicurean, Val-David Pastry Chef of the Year Benjamin Oddo, Maison Oddo, Gatineau Bertrand Bazin, Café Bazin, Montreal Gaël Vidricaire, Gaël Vidricaire Pastries, Quebec Patrice Demers, Patrice Pastry Chef, Montreal Valentin Rouyé, Montreal Bakers of the Year Albert Elbilia, Thank You Life, Piedmont Charles Letang, Bread… that’s all!, Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies Julien Roy & Seth Gabrielse, Automne Boulangerie, Montreal Martin Falardeau, Urban Milling, Montreal Maxime Deslandes, Country Wheat, Montreal Sommelier of the Year Lindsay Brennan, Alma, Tinc Set, Montreal Sophie Allaire, The Beautiful Story, Ste-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson Vanya Filipovic, Vin Mon Lapin, Montreal Veronique Dalle, Foxy, Montreal Vincent Laniel, Candide, Montreal Mixologist or Bartender of the Year Claudia Doyon, La Chaufferie Distillery, Granby Jean-Felix Desfossés, Bistro Le Sam (Le Château Frontenac), Trufles On The Rock, Quebec Julien Vézina, Hono Izakaya, Quebec Kate Boushel, Atwater Cocktail Club, Montreal Maximilien Jean, Le Flamant, Montreal Best Service Award Alex Winnicki, Satay Brothers, Montreal Amélie Pruneau, Battuto, Quebec Mélanie Blanchette, Bouillon Bilk, Cadet, Montreal Pearl Morency, East Side, Kamouraska Sophie Allaire, The Beautiful Story, Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson Brewer, Winemaker or Beverage Producer of the Year Benoît Couillard, Auval Brewery, Val-d'Espoir Charles Boissonneau, Enrico Bouchard, Grégoire Bluteau & Martin Brisson, Menaud, Clermont Géraud Bonnet & Naline Dupuis Desrochers, Desrochers D. Beekeeping Farm, Ferme-Neuve Isabelle Rochette & Paul Cirka, Cirka Distilleries, Montreal Matthieu Beauchemin, Domaine du Nival, Saint-Louis Producer of the Year Antoine Nicolas, An Ocean of Flavors, Gaspé Fernande Ouellet, Cunning as a Duck, Granby Jean-Martin Fortier, The Farm of Four-Times, Hemmingford Lysiane Roy Maheu and Dominique Lynch-Gauthier, Blanc de gris, Montreal Vicky Vaillancourt, O' Citrus, Laval Artisans of the Year Carl Pelletier, Chocolate Color, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts Chloé Migneault-Lecavalier & Loïse Desjardins-Petrone, Lecavalier Petrone, Montreal Nathalie Joannette, Crazy About Pigs, La Pocatière Pascal Hudon, Pascal the Butcher, Montreal Phillip Viens, Viens Foods, Montreal Business or Initiative of the Year Boreal Delight The Montreal Restaurant Workers Relief Fund (MTLWRF) Solidarity Kitchens by La Tablée des Chefs Eat our Saint-Laurent New Association of Bars of Quebec (NABQ) Culinary Culture Influence Award Allison Van Rassel Ariane Paré-Le Gal Christian Bégin St. Peter's Dove Stéphane Modat Event of the year Cocktail Invasion Kampaï Montreal Martinique Gourmande, solidarity edition Montreal in Lights / I love my restaurant Exquisite Quebec! Gastronomic Tourism Award Coastal Canteen at St-Pierre, Rimouski Cassis Monna & Filles, Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans Chocolate Color, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts Germain Hotels, Montreal, Quebec, Charlevoix Canteen Pollens & Nectars, Anicet Honey, Ferme-Neuve