Cuisine Cinéma & Confidences

Oh, what a joy eating is, when you’re a foodie. When you can feel your tastebuds buzz! The memories evoked by the taste of something… And then, when you’re suddenly whisked away, transported on a journey led by the chef’s, sommelier’s or director’s skilled hands, into a movie’s cinematic universe, or to the places a documentary takes you: that’s an even more mouth-watering experience! Sure to stimulate all the senses, the feasts served during the festival are savoured in an experience shared by many! Shared by the faithful gathered for the High Mas of flavours that is the Cuisine Cinéma & Confidences festival.

Festival for foodie filmgoers

The idea of bringing Baie-Saint-Paul to life with a foodie festival in November, a time when restaurants and kitchen brigades find themselves between the colourful fall season and the holidays season, comes straight from the busy, creative mind of Lucie Tremblay, co-owner of the Le Rond-Point gourmet snack bar, who has a background in film. Lucie enjoys good food, likes to laugh, has a curious mind, and an inclination towards motherly warmth. She has combined all the ingredients needed to deliver a different, refreshing, and spectacular celebration. Centred around what becomes the festival hub, the Le Germain Charlevoix hotel and its huge multi-purpose room, decked out in black and red for the occasion, the Festival Cuisine Cinéma et Confidences also makes satellites of the Maison-Mère heritage space and nearby restaurants, for this meeting of gourmet minds.

**Beyond the gathering of foodie filmgoers which is this event’s raison d’être, the word “confidences” suggests gatherings, discussions…**

And it all goes smoothly! Everything gels when the finest chefs, producers, directors, documentary filmmakers, spokespeople, and panellists mingle in the Le Germain venue, its inner courtyard, and throughout the entire town with festivalgoers, all energized with excitement they want to share!

Themed meals that include carefully thought-out movie/meal pairings, culinary workshops, family entertainment, discussion panels addressing big ideas, all related by some of the distinguished culinary guests we enjoyed having the chance to interview at the 2021 edition: Christian Bégin, Francis Reddy, Lucie Tremblay, Liza Frulla, Dyan Solomon, Christine Plante, Patrick Dubé, Émile Tremblay and a number of others…

On the CCC (2021 edition) menu

A C.R.A.Z.Y.-themed dinner, inspired by director Jean-Marc Vallée’s film, with chef Stéphane Racine in charge, and a spicy evening with chef David Forbes in the kitchen!

A workshop about bread with Boulangerie À Chacun Son Pain bakery’s Jean-Christophe Lamontagne, and another about beer led by Olivier Savary, co-owner of the Brasserie Artisanale Le Griendel craft beer brewery…

Returning for a third time, the L’Art à Table expo at the carrefour culturel Paul Médéric cultural centre.

A discussion panel, moderated by Liza Frulla, about women in the industry, spotlighting the experiences of Julie Gauthier from Pêcheries Charlevoix, Gabrielle Cadieux-Gagnon from Ferme Éboulmontaise and Madeleine Dufour, from the Famille Migneron Charlevoix.

A major retrospective of Expo 67’s impact on Quebec’s fine-dining scene, with the screening of the Expo 67 - Mission Impossible documentary with director Guylaine Maroist in attendance, followed by a discussion with historian Roger Laroche and chef Jean-Paul Grappe, itself followed up with the six-course Gala de Cuisine Cinéma & Confidences banquet, on the same theme.

The 100-year anniversary of SAQ, wine-tasting party, improvisational comedy, and even more fills this flavour-full event’s menu card!