An epicurean soirée accented by fine European wines can only get better in a perfect setting like the ambiance of the sophisticated Le Baccara restaurant.

A week and a half ago patrons at Le Baccara, located at the renown Lac-Leamy Casino, were treated to a culinary experience that exposed them to the culinary mastery of guest Chef Martin Juneau.

Baccara’s Executive Chef Denis Girard has been inviting guest chefs from different Canadian regions to put their culinary spin on the restaurant’s current dishes. It provides guests with an opportunity to taste familiar dishes with a different flare and most of all, to taste the craftsmanship that is involved in executing such delights.

Guest Chef Martin Juneau talking with guests during one of Le Baccara’s epicurean soirées.

Chef Juneau impressed with his interpretation of Le Baccara dishes leaving many guests in awe. Nothing overtly pretentious or flamboyant; just the right amount of je ne c’est quoi to make you want more. And if that wasn’t enough, Le Baccara’s wine pairing for the evening was flawless as they proved why diners have voted Le Baccara among Canada’s Top 50 restaurants for Wine Lovers.

Culinary adventure

The culinary adventure started with the chef paying homage to the East Coast with a tasty amuse-bouche, and one of my favourites, a Beausoleil oyster that paired perfectly with a Charles Dufour Champagne. How can your evening go wrong when you have Champagne to toast with, a delicious oyster to savour and great company to join you on your epicurean voyage?!

From his salmon served three ways to his East Indian inspired fried cauliflower (that I later discovered consisted of 27 ingredients which is simply mind blowing!), Chef Juneau managed to outdo himself with each and every plate.  And those were just the ‘light’ courses.

Protein played a pivotal role in Chef Juneau’s dishes as he introduced his divine maple lacquered pork dish to his eager guests. But not to be outdone, was his succulent guinea fowl. Being the meat lover that I am, I was more than happy to see these dishes on the menu. And, with the flavours that Chef Juneau presented left guests, including myself of course, yearning for more!

Dinner wouldn’t be complete without a sweet ending which consisted of a bitter chocolate mousse, sponge toffee and caramel foam. Yes, all of us made room for such indulgence!

Guest Chef Martin Juneau’s epicurean evening at Le Baccara. (left to right) Maple lacquered pork, yogurt fried cauliflower, seared Guineau fowl, bitter chocolate mousse, salmon done three ways and chicken liver mousse.

After having the opportunity to speak with Chef Girard, it was very clear that his work, his passion and his dishes are all about community. Le Baccara meals place emphasis on not only utilizing local products, but also highlighting them in their dishes and making patrons aware of what their surrounding communities have to offer in terms of products.

We use local products whenever we can. We have some excellent local producers who work very hard and we like to showcase their wonderful products at Le Baccara as well as our other restaurants. – Executive Chef for the Casino du Lac-Leamy and Casino de Mont-Tremblant

(left to right) Guest Chef Martin Juneau with The Food Tease, Baccara’s Executive Chef Denis Girard with Chef Martin Juneau.

Local products

Both Chef Juneau’s and Chef Girard’s dishes heavily incorporated the use of local products which payed tribute to the businesses and their products that were showcased during Chef Juneau’s epicurean soirée, some of which extend to other regions in Quebec.

• Vegetables: La ferme du ruisseau noir
• Pork: Ferme Gaspor
• Guineau fowl: Ferme Kego Caille de Cap-Saint-Ignace
• Chicken liver: Marque Regal Québec

Regular use of local suppliers 

• Chicken: Ferme aux Saveurs des monts
• Asparagus: La ferme La Macédoine
• Goat Cheese: Les folies bergères
• Smoked salmon and trout: Boucanerie Chelsea
• Cheese: Fromagerie Montebello Adoray and Manchebello

Not an ordinary level of hospitality

The CAA Five Diamond award winning restaurant, Le Baccara.

Le Baccarra has been known over the years as a restaurant that seeks perfection and delivers it at the highest level front and back of the house. With that said, it is important to note that the most memorable of experiences you will have in your life lies deeply on the details that will stay with you.

Such was the case when one of the servers noticed that a guest at our table was cold and not only offered her a shawl to keep herself warm, but also asked her in what color she preferred so that it would color coordinate with her evening dress. Now that my dining friends, is attention to detail!

With the resounding success and positive feedback of this year’s guest chefs series at Le Baccara, I am pleased to announce that there is another series being planned for 2018 in which four guest chefs will bring their gastronomy flare.

You don’t want to miss out on these unique and exciting soirée’s that is why I suggest you refer to the Le Baccara site so that you can partake in the upcoming culinary adentures!

Till next time!