Lesley Chesterman Names 10 Chef Tastemakers

In "10 Montreal Chefs Who are Shaping the City's Cuisine" (behind the paywall), Lesley Chesterman takes the pulse of the restaurant scene and discovers "unexpected accents" and "a new drive" to not just souce local foodstuffs but forge intimate relationships with purveyors.

While the Gazette critic's top 10 list of culinary influencers is sans a Marc-Alexandre Mercier (Hôtel Herman) or a Michelle Marek (SAT), Chesterman freely admits that the list represents but "a fraction" of the talent in Montreal. And few, if any, can find legitimate fault with the likes of Masami Waki (Le Club Chasse et Pêche, Le Filet, Le Serpent), Marc-Olivier Frappier (Joe Beef, Vin Papillon), Riccardo Bertolino (Maison Boulud), Antonio Park (Park), Gabrielle Rivard-Hiller (Cabane à Sucre Au Pied de Cochon), Michele Forgione (Impasto), Marc Cohen (Lawrence), Fisun Ercan (BarBounya, Su), Guillaume Cantin (Les 400 Coups) and François Nadon (Bouillon Bilk).

The profiles in Chesterman's article teem with tidbits of interest but the one that resonates is this bit of news from Antonio Park: "(...) I want to compete on a world sushi level. Ultimately, in about five years, I want to open a 20-seat restaurant in New York or Japan."

· 10 Montreal Chefs Who are Shaping the City's Cuisine [Gazette]
· All Lesley Chesterman Coverage [-EMTL-]