Like every year, Montréal en lumière will blow a gust of warm air through Montreal. About 30 guest chefs will pair up with some of Montreal’s very own to create special dining experiences for this festive occasion.

The festival’s gastronomy program will be headed by renowned Argentinean chef Francis Mallmann (Patagonia Sur), who will take over restaurant Europea’s kitchen on the evenings of February 22 and 23. The 11 days of festivities planned will see some of Argentinia’s most famous cooks taking over the city’s kitchens. The flavours of Buenos Aires will shine in the dining rooms of the 50 participating restaurants for the festival’s Finest Tables segment.

Montreal’s culinary diversity will be highlighted during the festival in the Lunching Around the World segment. The 6 ambassadors – Byblos, La Khaïma, Salon Mogador, Prato Pizzeria, Rumi and Restaurant Tasca – will be offering a fixed price lunch menu for $14.95.

The Jean-Talon market will see Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean producers and chefs exchanging ideas and showcasing their products, while l’Académie Culinaire Culinary workshops will teach the tricks and techniques required to recreate rich and flavourful Argentinean dishes. You’d also be wise to check out the Quebec Chefs and Cheeses competition, which is looking for judges of 12 culinary creations by 4 chef finalists and concocted using Quebec cheeses.

THE DETAILS

Montréal en lumière, February 21 to March 3, 2013

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The thing is, we have the same crops here as do many cities in our latitude – mushrooms, greens, tomatoes, squash – and yet our chefs always find new and ever more appealing ways to showcase the season’s bounty. Here are five beautiful dishes that showcase the city’s harvest cuisine this fall.

Gaspesian crab cakes with creamed swiss chard and smoked cauliflower: Chef Martin Juneau at Pastaga invents unpredictable and suprising cuisine de terroir from the best local ingredients, even on a rainy Saturday brunch.

Tarte aux blettes: Speaking of chard, this tart was on offer – but not on the menu – recently at Foodlab, where chefs Michelle Marek and Seth Gabrielese honoured Provence in a one-night-only menu. It’s a classic Provencal tart (blette is slang for chard) made from the unusual combo of chard, apples, and pine nuts. Keep your eyes peeled for more upcoming special events as Foodlab celebrates their one-year anniversary.

Crabapple sorbet: Martin Picard of Pied du Cochon fame has always had a wry sense of humour in his menus, especially for dessert. This tart and delicate crabapple sorbet is part of his Cabane à sucre (Sugar Shack) fall menu, that showcases apples especially. The special menu runs weekends until the end of October, and is sold-out except for a few seats that open on Thursdays. (Photo: Alexandra Forbes)

Fried green tomatoes: Though most Quebecois cooks prefer to make Ketchup Vert with their unripened tomatoes to go with fall-favourite Tourtiere, at Kitchenette they do it Southern-style, with a crunchy breading and sweet fresh cherry tomatoes as garnish.

Agnolotti with Girolles: At Lawrence Restaurant on St-Laurent as in many restaurants in Montreal, the menu changes weekly based on what’s in season. While not groundbreaking or headline-making, this subtle and delicate agnolotti with girolle mushrooms was comforting and pitch-perfect for lunch on a crisp fall afternoon.

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