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Published on January 8, 2024

10 establishments where training and great food meet

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In Quebec, there are many places where learning and tasty food come together — institutions that combine culinary training with real dining experiences, giving students hands-on skills while offering guests delicious meals prepared with local ingredients. These establishments recognized by the Aliments du Québec au menu program invite you not only to eat well, but also to see how chefs and food professionals are trained.

Le Restaurant de l’ITHQ

Montréal
3535 Saint-Denis Street, Montréal, QC H2X 3P1

Located at the heart of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec, Le Restaurant de l’ITHQ has been offering a refined gastronomic experience since 2005 while serving as a hands-on learning environment for students in culinary arts, service, and sommelier training. Along with its elegant décor and attentive service, the menu highlights the expertise of future chefs under the supervision of seasoned professionals. Like a celebration of the seasons, guests can enjoy a buffet-style breakfast, a lunch featuring duck breast with carrot variations, or a dinner such as a scallop risotto made with Magdalen Islands scallops. The menu evolves with seasonal arrivals while actively supporting the next generation.

AQM ITHQ

Académie Culinaire Gaspésienne

Gaspésie
Virtual service

Founded by the chef of Bistro Cerf-Cuit-Court in Carleton-sur-Mer, the Académie Culinaire Gaspésienne offers courses designed to learn and master Gaspesian cuisine. Become an expert in baked mussels or explore Quebec fish and seafood through the certified Fourchette bleue course — where you might even discover whelk and seaweed in a dessert! These courses emphasize showcasing local producers and promoting food autonomy. Classes are offered online, from your own kitchen, as well as in person at Bistro Cerf-Cuit-Court.

 

AQM Academie Culinaire Gaspesienne

Ferme et Cuisine Bika

Montérégie
980 du Grand-Bernier Road, Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu, QC J0J 1W0

Ferme et Cuisine Bika is not a traditional restaurant. Housed in a renovated ancestral home, it offers an innovative farm-table experience. While the restaurant pauses during winter, visitors can attend Turkish cooking workshops led by the chef. Focused on local ingredients and sustainability, she shares tips on minimizing food waste and preparing preserves for winter. These workshops will undoubtedly inspire you to return in future seasons to enjoy the harvest-driven menu, served in a greenhouse beside the property’s expansive garden.

AQM Bika

École Hôtelière de Lanaudière

Lanaudière
355 Sir-Mathias-Tellier Street, Joliette, QC J6E 6E6

Positioned as a center of excellence, the restaurant of the École Hôtelière de Lanaudière offers guests a delightful culinary experience through the creations of chefs and students in the Culinary Arts program. From appetizer to dessert, the menu changes frequently to ensure a wide range of learning opportunities. Guests can enjoy terroir-inspired dishes featuring sea buckthorn or even fire cider. In the dining room, students from the Food and Beverage Service program provide professional table-service guidance. Menus vary depending on the date of your visit. To explore current menus and reserve, visit their website.

AQM Ecole Hoteliere Lanaudiere

Le Coureur des Bois – Bistro gourmand

Montérégie
1810 Richelieu Street, Beloeil, QC J3G 4S4

Along the banks of the Richelieu River, Le Coureur des Bois – Bistro Gourmand offers sommelier workshops such as their special Food and Sparkling Wine Pairings session. Extend the experience with a meal at the restaurant, where the culinary team focuses on local ingredients and Quebec’s seasons. In the morning, those with a sweet tooth can enjoy a pain au chocolat French-toast style with maple butter flavours. Dinner options range from lamb cavatelli to walleye served with seasonal vegetables, satisfying every palate.

 

AQM Le Coureur Des Bois

Neurones et Papilles

Laurentides
299 Saint-Georges Street, Saint-Jérôme, QC J7Z 5A2

Located at the Cégep de Saint-Jérôme, Neurones et Papilles is a teaching restaurant where guests enjoy a refined gastronomic experience created by culinary students. The carefully crafted menu reflects the quality of the training and the institution’s commitment to Quebec gastronomy. Standout dishes include confit guinea fowl tartine with dune pepper sauce, an exquisite balance of flavours. With its chic, urban ambiance, the restaurant is open to the public at select times based on the academic calendar. Visit their website for schedules and reservations.

AQM Neurones Et Papilles

Microbrasserie Le Presbytère

Mauricie
1360 Principale Street, Saint-Stanislas-de-Champlain, QC G0X 3E0

Housed in a former presbytery rebuilt in 1873, Microbrasserie Le Presbytère showcases the best of Mauricie through a menu paired with its house-brewed beers. Known for dishes featuring forest mushrooms, the establishment is also part of the Route des Brasseurs, whose mission is to highlight the craftsmanship of independent brewers. Beer enthusiasts can experience brewing firsthand by becoming an assistant brewer for a day. Amateur brewers may even create their own beer on site and present it to the public in the pub — a truly unique opportunity.

AQM Le Presbytere

Le Réfectoire

Capitale-Nationale
755 Grande Allée West, Québec City, QC G1S 1C1

Located at Collège Mérici, Le Réfectoire offers an educational culinary experience where culinary students refine their skills alongside experienced chefs. This teaching restaurant showcases creative dishes born from the emerging talent of its apprentices. Three-course meals are offered at very affordable prices. Refer to their online reservation platform for opening days and hours.

AQM Le Refectoire

Le Resto 3F

Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
1400 Wallberg Boulevard, Dolbeau-Mistassini, QC G8L 0H9

Le Resto 3F stands out for its dynamic setting and strong commitment to training and sustainable development. By prioritizing locally sourced, short-supply-chain ingredients, the restaurant delivers a culinary experience rooted in the boreal terroir and seasonal richness of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region. New dishes are introduced weekly, and part of the team is in apprenticeship training, supervised by the Service Externe de Main-d’Œuvre (SEMO), fulfilling the restaurant’s mission of social and professional integration. Open at lunchtime, guests can enjoy poutines, butternut squash risotto with mushroom sauce, or the dish of the day based on availability.

AQM Resto3 F

Cuisine Lakay Lola

Virtual service

Cuisine Lakay Lola offers Caribbean-inspired culinary workshops and conferences. The name reflects its roots: Lakay means “home” in Creole, and Lola is the founder. After an inspiring trip to Haiti, Lola created this business to honour her heritage and showcase Haitian and Caribbean gastronomy — a symphony of flavours crafted with local ingredients. Guests’ taste buds will be delighted by specialties such as Banann Pezé, Diri Djon Djon, Bouyon beef stew, and Diri Kolé, to name just a few.

AQM Lakay Lola