Published on October 14, 2021
Improving recipes with local products: “It’s a challenge and it breaks the routine!”
Jonathan Garand, chef and VIA Rail manager in Montréal with Sodexo food services, took part for the first time in the Les institutions mangent local! event from September 20 to 22.
To get inspired, he researched recipes and, instead of choosing just a few, decided to prepare them all, extending the experience over five days. “It allows me to discover new products and ways to cook them. Even though I already have my own recipes, I’m always looking to improve them. For example, I can test several dark beers from Québec microbreweries to see which pairs best with braised beef. It’s a challenge, and it breaks the routine!”
The chef offered a special menu made up of 95% local products; for instance, his flour came from elsewhere in Canada. His theme highlighted seasonal ingredients such as butternut squash, used in a velouté soup, and apples featured in a crumble. Choosing local also had the added benefit of simplifying sourcing.
A Year-Round Commitment
The event—an initiative of Aliments du Québec and Équiterre, in collaboration with the 100% Local Challenge and Québec’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food—also helped promote the Aliments du Québec au menu – Institution program.
“During the event, I was more engaged with customers. I talked about the ingredients used and emphasized that throughout the year, 80% of our menus are made with local products. Customers are often surprised to learn that the meat comes from here,” says Jonathan Garand, who served pork tenderloin with apple sauce, roasted root vegetables, and colorful baby potatoes.
He hopes to inspire the approximately 225 clients who participated in the event to develop the same reflexes he has when placing orders. For example, he makes sure to choose Québec products when faced with two items at the same price, or he looks for alternatives when recipes call for imported ingredients. His goal is to get as close as possible to a 100% local menu.
“Over the past five years, we’ve seen more and more local products becoming available,” the chef notes. “Through the Aliments du Québec au menu program, institutions also communicate with each other to support one another and discover new ingredients.”
Seeing the experience as a success, Jonathan Garand has already planned to participate again next year with a menu focused on desserts.
