Chorney-Booth: Seeing stars! Canada's Michelin options expand with new guide for Quebec

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Two weeks ago, I found myself sitting in the back room of a restaurant in Quebec City as chefs Daniel and Raphael Vézina popped a bottle of champagne for a jubilant toast. Just the day before, their restaurant, Laurie Raphael, founded in 1991 by Daniel and named after his two children who took over the business several years ago, was awarded a Michelin star in the famed restaurant guide's inaugural assessment of the province of Quebec. After putting decades of work into their food and hospitality, the father-son team were feeling justifiably validated.
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Of course, not every restaurateur in the province was as chuffed. Quebec – the third region in Canada to receive a Michelin Guide after the Greater Toronto Area and the city of Vancouver – saw nine of its restaurants receive Michelin stars. Five restaurants in Quebec City, including Laurie Raphael, made the cut alongside only three in Montreal, and a lone spot in Rimouski. Three restaurants in the province also earned the prestigious green star, awarded for sustainability practices.
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The May 15 announcement created a wave of shock amongst Montreal restaurant insiders. The city is widely regarded as one of the best food destinations in North America, and many were expecting it to match or even outshine the 16 starred restaurants in Toronto or the 10 in Vancouver.
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'Today was a tough day,' chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard admitted the evening of the announcement after dinner service at his excellent but star-free Le Mousso. 'But I'm feeling better now,' he added, surveying a sold-out room of satisfied customers having just feasted on his deeply imaginative, multi-course tasting menu.
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The general chatter online and on the street seems to be that while the Michelin inspectors – a small army of anonymous critics – appreciated the fine dining-style restaurants in Quebec City, they just didn't 'get' the more casual bon vivant energy of Montreal's best restaurants. Which is not to say Montreal came out of its first Michelin experience empty-handed: most of its best restaurants were recognized on Michelin's 'recommended' list (just one step below a star), and the city also received a good share of Bib Gourmand awards, Michelin's cheap and cheerful designation.

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Japan Forward

2 days ago

• Japan Forward

British Food and Music Shine at Tokyo Embassy

The British Embassy in Tokyo came alive on June 12 with the sounds, scents, and flavors of the United Kingdom at British Beats and Bites – A Celebration of UK Food, Drink and Culture. The event brought together diplomats, entrepreneurs, creatives, and media for an immersive cultural experience centered on the UK's evolving identity as a food and music powerhouse. Hosted in the elegant setting of the British Ambassador's residence, the evening showcased everything from classic British cuisine to artisanal drinks. It culminated in a Britpop-infused DJ set by none other than Alex James, the former bassist of Blur and now an ambassador for British food and drink. Opening the evening was Emil Levendoglu, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, who welcomed guests with warmth and humor. "It's a great pleasure to be welcoming you to a celebration of British food, drink, creativity — and, it turns out, cocktails," he said. Levendoglu described the modern British food scene as "bold, diverse, and globally inspired," noting how it has been shaped by the many cultures that make up contemporary Britain. "From Michelin-starred restaurants to buzzing food markets, our chefs and producers are constantly blending tradition with new ideas," he said, drawing a parallel with Japan's own culinary culture. Beyond food, Levendoglu emphasized the strong cultural ties between the UK and Japan. "This evening is also about the deep and enduring friendship between the UK and Japan, and the cultural ties that bind us together. Not just in food, but also in music, art, and creativity." Those cultural ties came to to life with the presence of Alex James, a man who embodies the crossover between British music and British food. Introduced by Levendoglu as "a very special guest" and "a passionate advocate for British food and drink," James brought not only nostalgia for his days in Blur but a sense of fun and reinvention. Blur bassist Alex James (©JAPAN Forward) Before his DJ set, James offered a heartfelt toast. "I really am delighted to be in Japan again with my family," he said. "And this time I'm not here as a musician — I'm here as a champion of UK food and drink." He went on to share how meaningful it was to see Japanese guests trying his own product, Brittle Pop, for the first time. "Hopefully, we've managed to get people thinking differently and created some new fans of UK food and drink." The crowd greeted the toast, "To the UK, and to Japan, and to food, and to drink, and to music," with a resounding "Kanpai!" Guests were treated to passed canapés like cold-smoked Scottish salmon on buttered toast, vol-au-vents filled with mushrooms, and bite-sized omelettes made with organic vegetables. Heartier fare included a shepherd's pie station, chicken curry, and roast beef served with ratatouille and gravy. Each dish offered a distinct window into the culinary identity of the UK. The sushi station, featuring kappamaki (thin sushi roll filled with cucumber) and tuna rolls, was a nod to the host country while underscoring the cross-cultural spirit of the evening. For cheese lovers, a curated selection featuring Wales' creamy Perl Las and England's Shropshire Blue, vintage cheddar, and Rutland Red added a tangy punch to the tasting experience. British cuisine at British Beats and Bites (©JAPAN Forward) Drinks reflected the diversity of the UK's four nations, with a showcase of gins and whiskies from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Signature cocktails made with spirits from all four nations added flair to the evening, while Belvoir soft drinks provided a refreshing non-alcoholic option. Desserts, including whisky-infused chocolate squares, blueberry custard tarts, and raspberry macarons, were passed around as the party reached its peak. To end on a sweet note, guests were gifted Ben's Cookies, while the afternoon tea photo booth, set with Wedgwood ceramics, offered a playful tribute to a timeless British tradition. Adding another layer of momentum to the evening, Rupert Daniels, Director of Services for the UK's Department of Business and Trade, likened the event to a band's tour. Tokyo, he said, was just the first stop before the team traveled to Osaka for a showcase at the UK Pavilion at Expo 2025. "You're really lucky — you're seeing the first night of the band on tour," he said. Daniels, who first came to Japan during the 2002 World Cup, spoke fondly of the shared passions that unite both countries. "The two things that brought everyone together, particularly from the UK and our wonderful Japanese hosts, were music, food, and drink, which is exactly what we're celebrating tonight." He also urged guests to explore and interact with the variety of UK producers represented at the event. "There are 15 or 16 different producers here tonight — from sparkling wine to whisky to wonderful confectionery. Go talk to someone you've never met before. Try something new. Let's keep this cultural interchange going strong." Bar at British Beats and Bites (©JAPAN Forward) While the event had all the hallmarks of successful public diplomacy, soft power through food, cultural nostalgia, and personal storytelling, it was ultimately about connection. It celebrated the human dimension of trade, creativity, and shared tastes. From signature dishes to sampling stations, from Britpop classics echoing across embassy halls to toasts of sparkling Brittle Pop, British Beats and Bites was more than a showcase — it was a shared table. As the evening continued under Tokyo's early summer skies, with glasses clinking and voices mingling, one thing was clear. The bonds between the UK and Japan are as much about what's on the plates, or in the speakers, as they are about politics or policy. Author: Daniel Manning

Toronto Star

12-06-2025

• Toronto Star

This Niagara winery makes a perfect day trip from Toronto to sample exceptional food, wine and honey

If there's one winery you must visit in Niagara this year, it's Rosewood Estates. About an hour and a half from Toronto, right off the QEW, this family-owned winery makes fabulous red, white and rosé at reasonable prices, but it's also a meadery and honey estate. 'Our family were beekeepers first, then winemakers,' says William Roman, general manager of Rosewood Estates. Roman's grandfather had a passion for beekeeping and for making honey wine, called mead, as a teen living in Ukraine. When he moved to Ontario, he continued to keep bees with his son, Eugene. But he couldn't secure an Ontario honey-winery license and abandoned his mead-making pursuit. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The lobby and bar area of Rosewood Estates. ANZIT MEDIA INC Robert Anzit Years later, that dream was realized when his son and daughter-in-law, Eugene and Renata, founded Rosewood Winery and Meadery in Beamsville in 2003. 'There are 40 beehives on this property,' says Roman. You can visit those hives to get up close and personal with the honeybees themselves. 'We offer a full beekeeping experience from May through September on Saturdays. You can get all suited-up and venture into a live hive,' says Roman. The two- to three-hour experience costs $60 per person. Honey from Rosewood's beehives is used on the menu and to make mead, honey wine. William Roman Rosewood Winery an Rosewood's bees produce honey that the winery sells on site and that it uses to make mead. 'Mead is the world's oldest alcoholic beverage,' says Roman. 'It's the way humans discovered alcohol, preceding grape wine by 4,000 or 5,000 years.' That honey also finds it way onto Rosewood's recently revamped menu. In Spring 2024, the winery renovated its bottle shop, kitchen and indoor dining area and hired chef Peter Pietruniak to lead its food program. Pietruniak found his way to Rosewood after turns at leading restaurants, such as the Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in the U.K. and the Michelin-recommended Trius Winery Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The first thing he did when he joined the estate was build a garden on-site to grow his own food. 'He dry-ages his own charcuterie in the winery's cold spaces. He makes his own sourdough bread. And he grows his own food in the 232-square-metre garden,' says Roman. 'What he can't use fresh, he preserves and pickles for use all year around.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Rosewood chef Peter Pietruniak grows the winery's food on-site, dry ages his own charcuterie and makes his own sourdough bread ANZIT MEDIA INC Rosewood Winery The menu at Rosewood includes small plates and sharing plates from what Pietruniak calls his 'scratch' kitchen. Nearly all the ingredients the chef uses are from his on-site garden or from other sources in Ontario. 'There are only four ingredients in the kitchen not from Ontario — salt, olive oil and a couple spices,' says Roman. 'So, it's hyperlocal.' While you can enjoy lunch on a whim in the indoor dining area all year around or on the patio in the summer, more structured dining options are also available. Reserve the Food + Wine Experience for a bespoke four-course tasting-menu lunch, available Friday, Saturday and Sunday ($70 per person). The menu changes daily based on what is freshest in the kitchen and includes library wines from the cellar. There's also a Cheese & Mead Flight highlighting four different meads made on-site, paired with four cheese creations ($50 per person). The food experiences must be pre-booked on the winery's website, So beeline it to Rosewood Estates this summer to fill your trunk with some beautiful bottles of wine and mead and a jar or two of very good honey. And a deeper appreciation for honeybees. 4352 Mountainview Rd., Lincoln, Ont., Rosewood wines and mead. Megan Smith Prokop The best bottles to try at Rosewood Estates Sidle up to the bar or sit in the dining area to enjoy a flight of four wines or four mead samples ($20 per flight, $40 premium). Here are some wines excellent wines to request. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW NV Rosewood Charmat Rosé VQA Ontario ($25/bottle) NV Rosewood Charmat Rosé VQA Ontario. Supplied Score 95 Though William Roman calls this wine 'raspberry Jolly Rancher in a bottle,' don't let that put you off. Yes, it's delicious in that full-fruited way, but it's not at all overly sweet. It's a lip-smacking blend of 61 per cent Chardonnay, 24 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 per cent Cabernet Franc that calls to mind height-of-summer raspberries and strawberries — perfectly ripe, beautifully balanced and pressed to perfection. Elegant yet easy-drinking sparkling wine that will thrill everyone in the room or garden. (12.5% alc., 10 g/L sugar) 2021 Chardonnay Niagara Escarpment ($42/bottle) 2021 Chardonnay Niagara Escarpment. Supplied Score 93 Flinty lemon zest aromas lead to a luminous yet steely attack that soon broadens to reveal a kiss of toasted marshmallow, a touch of lemon curd and a note of ripe pineapple. This serious yet supremely drinkable white with plunging minerality tastes well toned, tightly wound and satisfying. Quite a gastronomic white to build a dinner party around. (12% alc., 2 g/L sugar) 2022 Night Moves VQA Niagara Peninsula ($25/bottle) 2022 Night Moves VQA Niagara Peninsula. Supplied Score 96 This pure Gamay nods toward cranberry and incense, blackberry and church pew. The entry is cool and swift with a bright centre that slowly dims to a lamplit glow. A wine that's felt as much as it's tasted, this expression feels moody and sensual as it cascades slowly toward a long, slow finish. (12% alc., 2 g/L sugar) 2022 Shoulders of Giants VQA Beamsville Bench ($45/bottle) 2022 Shoulders of Giants VQA Beamsville Bench. Supplied Score 90 For those who like big, bold reds full of tension, this pure Cabernet Franc is your bottle. The fragrance is pure raspberry jam — sweet and forward. Then, it slips in tasting taut and tight-fisted, full of tension. Cranberry and black olive, freshly turned earth and graphite thread the bold, blackberry centre and linger. Long. (14% alc., 2 g/L sugar) 2020 Legacy Heritage Cyser Mead ($20/500 ml) 2020 Legacy Heritage Cyser Mead. Supplied Score 92 About 30 per cent apple cider, 30 per cent honey and 30 per cent water, this cyser starts with a fragrant, hoppy nose laced with wildflowers, beeswax and honeyed apples. The entry is cool and glassy-smooth yet rich. Well balanced with mouth-watering acidity, it keeps you sipping while flavours spiral with marzipan and apple crumble, beeswax and lemon curd. (13% alc., 40g/L sugar) Solera Mead ($60/500 ml) Solera Mead. Supplied Score 93 Like Sherry, this mead hails from a solera system that involves fractionally blending multiple years of the honey wine — in this case, seven years. The nose calls to mind sherry, candied orange peel and butter pound cake with a bright lemon glaze. The entry is round and smooth with a dry, nutty salinity that nods toward elements found on the nose, then shifts to an expansive and distinctive, dry-roasted almond character. (20% alc., 88.5 g/L sugar)

Cision Canada

12-06-2025

• Cision Canada

CUNARD'S NEWLY REFRESHED QUEEN ELIZABETH ARRIVES TO SEATTLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A SPECIAL SERIES OF VOYAGES TO ALASKA

Alaskan voyages mark the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's North American residency as she prepares for her highly anticipated maiden season of Caribbean voyages starting in October A plaque-and-key ceremony celebrated the arrival in Seattle where the Cunard ship will homeport from June to September SEATTLE, June 12, 2025 /CNW/ -- Today, the newly refreshed Queen Elizabeth has arrived to the Port of Seattle for the first time to begin a season of highly anticipated Alaskan voyages. Cunard's Queens have embodied the pinnacle of British luxury travel for 185 years, and now Queen Elizabeth will homeport in Seattle for the first time, bringing Cunard's renowned White Star Service to the region for two exclusive seasons of luxurious voyages of seven to 12 nights. "Historic grandeur, refined elegance, bespoke experiences and unparalleled personal service are cornerstones of a Cunard voyage," explained Liz Fettes, Senior Vice President of Commercial for North America at Cunard. "Our view of luxury is rooted in a belief that experiences can be both elegant and relaxed, and our Alaska voyages aboard Queen Elizabeth personifies that spirit." The Refreshed Experience Aboard Queen Elizabeth Debuting from a stunning refresh, Queen Elizabeth now boasts revitalized signature spaces and an elevated Princess and Queens Grills experience, offering expansive suites, added amenities, butler service and access to private spaces and restaurants on board. In addition to new and upgraded interiors, Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux has designed an exquisite three-course Gala Evening menu exclusive to Grill Suite guests. Inaugural Alaska guests will also be among the first to enjoy The Pavilion Wellness Café and the Harper's Bazaar ® Wellness at Sea program onboard Queen Elizabeth, featuring three bespoke Journeys – packages that include a special curation of wellness treatments, nutritious smoothies, rejuvenating masterclasses and a selection of ELEMIS products. Spectacular Alaskan Voyages Guests can enjoy seven to 11-night Alaska voyages aboard Queen Elizabeth from June-September 2025, with rates starting from $1,109 per person for a balcony stateroom, based on double occupancy. Her meticulously crafted itineraries visit captivating ports including Ketchikan, Glacier Bay National Park, Skagway, Juneau, and Victoria, British Columbia. Guests will soak in the pristine beauty of Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier. Scenic days viewing the Inside Passage, the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Enriching Onboard Experiences Onboard, guests will enjoy even more enriching experiences specially tailored to Queen Elizabeth's Alaska season. First, Cunard continues its partnership with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), offering an enriching speaker series with experts sharing insights into the region. Guests will also be treated to a "Locals Onboard" speaker series, featuring 11 local Alaskan speakers, including a master Tlingit dance group, a Denali expeditionist and local historians, artists and photographers. Cunard will also honor the Pacific Northwest with wines from regional wineries served on board, including from Elsom Cellars, Charles Smith Wines, Double Canyon, Canoe Ridge Estate and Goose Ridge. "The Port of Seattle is honored to welcome Cunard and the iconic Queen Elizabeth for their first homeported season in Seattle," said Port of Seattle Executive Director Steve Metruck. "This partnership marks a major milestone in our work to expand economic activity and to support local jobs through cruise, and we look forward to advancing together our shared vision for sustainability and responsible tourism." Winter in the Caribbean Following an Alaskan summer, Queen Elizabeth will continue her North American residency, repositioning to Miami this October, where she will homeport for a maiden season of Caribbean voyages. This season marks the first time Cunard will dedicate a ship to a full season in the Caribbean and coincides with a new slate of onboard entertainment offerings, welcoming Broadway and West End performers on every voyage, including Tony Award-winner Sutton Foster and an exclusive production of the Tony Award-winning show Come From Away. For more information about Cunard or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Advisor, call Cunard at 1-800-728-6273, or visit About Cunard Cunard is a luxury British cruise line, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world. Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships since 1840, and this year celebrates an incredible 185 years of operation. 2025 is a momentous year in Cunard's history, which will be marked with several iconic land-based events and special Event Voyages. The Cunard experience is built on fine dining, hand-selected entertainment, and outstanding White Star service. From a partnership with a two-Michelin starred chef, to inspiring guest speakers, to world class theatre productions, every detail has been meticulously crafted to make the experience unforgettable. A pioneer in transatlantic journeys and round world voyages, destinations sailed to also include Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, the Far East and Australia. There are currently four Cunard ships, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and new ship, Queen Anne, which entered service in May 2024. This investment is part of the company's ambitious plans for the future of Cunard globally, with the brand now boasting four ships in simultaneous service for the first time since 1999. Cunard is based at Carnival House in Southampton and has been owned since 1998 by Carnival Corporation & plc. (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).