A closer look at some memorable meals from the city’s flagship festival—and the people who made them unforgettable
While it might sound like a cliché to say Montreal knows how to winter, it remains one of the truer ways to describe what the city does best. And nowhere is that more deliciously evident than at Montréal en Lumière, the city’s annual cold-weather celebration of culture, cuisine, and community.
Now in its 26th edition, the festival once again transformed the Quartier des Spectacles—and dozens of venues across the city—into a snow-dusted gastronomic playground, spotlighting the best of local and international culinary talent.
Read about last year’s Montreal en Lumière Festival
With more than 60 restaurants (including 15 Michelin stars and 2 Green stars) and nearly 100 chefs, winemakers, sommeliers, and artisans participating, this year’s program marked a festival record.
The 2025 edition shone a dual spotlight on women in gastronomy and the evolving art of pastry. Over 70 percent of invited guests were women—a powerful shift in an industry still playing catch-up, and a confident move that brought new energy to the table while underscoring the depth of talent shaping the food and wine world today.
From storied institutions to rising stars, restaurants across Montreal played host to collaborations, pairing menus, and one-night-only experiences that brought together standout talent from here and abroad.
Among the many memorable events on this year’s program, the following six offer a personal snapshot—each one attended firsthand, and each capturing a distinct expression of the festival’s spirit.
Le Club Chasse et Pêche × Noam Gedalof & Etheliya Hananova (Comice, Paris)
Behind the scenes at Le Club Chasse et Pêche (photo by: Victor Diaz Lamich)
For its 20th anniversary, Le Club Chasse et Pêche invited back two prodigal talents: chef Noam Gedalof and sommelier Etheliya Hananova, the Canadian-born duo—both with strong ties to Montreal—behind Comice, their Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. It was an elegant reunion: intimate, technical, and rooted in French tradition, with a reverent nod to Quebec terroir—executed with the quiet confidence that defines Chasse et Pêche.
Guests were treated to a refined procession of seasonal dishes, capped by warm hospitality and exceptional pairings from Hananova and Joris Gutierrez Garcia, head sommelier at Le Club Chasse et Pêche. In a room long celebrated for its restraint, it was a homecoming marked by grace, gratitude, and excellence.
Author’s Pick — one bite, one glass, one tip: Carnaroli risotto, lobster poached in beurre blanc with leeks and tarragon + Jean-Baptiste Sénat 2023 Aux Amis de Ma Sœur (IGP Aude). Tip: Head sommelier Joris Gutierrez Garcia was recently awarded the 2025 ASI Best Sommelier of the Americas title; don’t hesitate to ask him for original wine pairings when you visit.
Copilote x Thomas Bachelder (Bachelder, Niagara)
Thomas Bachelder shares stories at Copilote.
In the heart of Hochelaga, Copilote welcomed Thomas Bachelder—one of Canada’s most distinctive winemakers—for a night devoted to terroir nuance. Known for his site-specific chardonnays and pinot noirs from Niagara, Bachelder brought depth, stories, and his legendary personality to every pour.
Hosted at Copilote—a design-savvy, cocktail-forward bar with a serious wine list—and paired with neighbour Hélicoptère’s playful, ultra-seasonal cooking, the wines came alive. It was the kind of night that snuck up on you: no theatrics, just precision, purpose, and pleasure—proof that wine geekery and fun can share a table.
Author’s Pick — one bite, one glass, one tip: Roasted guinea fowl (pintade) with maïtake, burnt honey, and miso + Bachelder 2021 Old Eastern Block Lowrey Vineyard Pinot Noir (St. David’s Bench). Tip: Copilote is a first-come, first-served cocktail bar with speakeasy vibes and a serious wine list—the perfect place to start, or end, an evening.
Gia Vin & Grill x Jess Shadbolt (King, NYC)
At Gia Vin & Grill (photo by: Dominique Lafond)
At Gia Vin & Grill, the open kitchen crackled with energy as Jess Shadbolt, chef and co-owner of New York’s beloved King, stepped in for a one-night-only service. Tucked into a converted industrial space on Rue Lenoir, Gia’s flame-fuelled, rustic-Italian ethos met King’s market-driven NYC charm in a menu that was generous, creative, and wildly flavourful.
The room? Loud, packed, alive. A reminder that some of the best meals don’t whisper—they roar.
Author’s Pick — one bite, one glass, one tip: Spatchcocked quail, grilled on thyme branches with winter leaves, lentils, croutons, and anchoïade + Podere Le Ripi 2022 Attenti al Lupo (Toscana IGT). Tip: Visit Gia Vin & Grill for lunch—Tuesday through Friday—to take in the space by daylight and order their not-to-be-missed fritti di polenta and tomato sauce.
Ratafia x Martine Bauer (Vinoteca Pompette, Toronto)
A wine-forward evening with a family-style edge, this special collaboration between Martine Bauer—chef and co-owner of Vinoteca Pompette in Toronto—and Ratafia’s Magie Marier and Héra Schneider offered a joyful, deeply feminine expression of hospitality.
Together, they crafted a multi-course menu that played on sweet and savoury contrasts. Thoughtful, experimental, and just a little decadent—in the best possible way.
Author’s Pick — one bite, one glass, one tip: Louis d’Or and ricotta ravioli with Labrador tea–infused browned butter, and roasted maïtake + Sylvain Morey 2020 Le Claux (Luberon AOP). Tip: Ratafia offers a six-course discovery menu for two at a special price for reservations before 6 p.m.—a great way to sample your way through the menu.
Marcus x Eunji Lee (Lysée, NYC)
Marcus Four Seasons
Marcus joined forces with Eunji Lee, the Paris-trained pastry chef behind New York’s cult-favourite Lysée. The result was a dessert-focused tasting menu at the chef’s counter, where flavours like hazelnut, yuzu, and black sesame took centre stage. In the hands of Marcus executive chef Jason Morris, pastry sous-chef Yasmine Bouhassoun, and Lee, it became something refined, subtle, layered—and architectural.
For those who missed the dinner, Lee’s creations were featured at a special brunch service, including an indulgent bagel tower for two—equal parts elegant and extravagant. Either way, it was proof that pastry can absolutely be the main act.
Author’s Pick — one bite, one glass, one tip: The Lysée, the dessert shop’s namesake pastry made with toasted brown rice mousse, pecan praline, sablé, and caramel + Patrick Piuze NV Brut Nature Rosé (Crémant de Bourgogne). Tip: Marcus offers several prix fixe menus—but be sure to try their signature dish, the Picadilly: fresh pasta with lobster and chilli.
Bonheur d’Occasion × Geneviève Thisdel (En Roue Libre)
On Rue Notre-Dame Ouest in Saint-Henri, Bonheur d’Occasion welcomed winemaker Geneviève Thisdel—of En roue libre and Les Bacchantes—for a collaborative evening with the house team. Designed to pair specifically with her wines, the experience reflected a shared sensitivity to terroir and hospitality. A poised showing from a steadily rising voice in Quebec wine.
The evening spotlighted Quebec ingredients, considered technique, and wines that carried the through line. Each pour, each plate, spoke to a shared philosophy: keep it local, keep it honest, and let the details do the talking. A reminder that subtle doesn’t mean forgettable.
Author’s Pick — one bite, one glass, one tip: Carrot, buckwheat, sea buckthorn, and vine leaves + Geneviève Thisdel 2023 Orange (En Roue Libre). Tip: Bonheur d’Occasion is a neighbourhood restaurant—with a beautifully curated wine list—that’s open throughout the day for coffee, lunch, and dinner.
Copilote
Beyond the table: The Village Gourmand, Apéros Montréal en Lumière, and more
Back at the Quartier des Spectacles, the Village Gourmand brought festival energy to the streets with food counters, wine kiosks, fire pits, DJs, and a standout lineup of demos and talks. Among them: Chuck Hughes, co-owner and executive chef of Le Garde Manger and TV personality (Chuck’s Day Off, Chuck’s Eat the Street), who brought the heat—literally—with a live outdoor demo from his cookbook La Cuisine Maison.
New this year, the Village also featured menus by Menu Extra, the acclaimed Montreal collective known for its refined pop-ups. Alongside them, local and international chefs led a series of free workshops and activations.
Meanwhile, the Apéros Montréal en Lumière offered a more intimate experience, with guided wine tastings and Paint & Sip workshops during the Nuit blanche.
Cultural programming included a screening of Julien Fréchette’s Chiliheads at Cinéma Moderne—complete with chili-laced popcorn, a spicy margarita, and hot sauce tastings from La Pimenterie. Film night turned full-on capsaicin trip.
Final pour
If Montréal en Lumière is about anything, it’s about connection—between chefs and guests, between wine and food, between people and place. The 2025 edition reminded us that even in the depths of winter, this city knows how to throw one heck of a party. Through collaborations, a spotlight on women in food, wine, and pastry, and a city that shows up hungry and curious, it was an edition grounded in the simple joy of gathering around a table.
For 2026 programming announcements and festival updates, keep an eye on montrealenlumiere.com.
– Alana Lapierre is VineRoutes regional editor for eastern Canada
