WOW! Discover Montréal’s terroir and culinary traditions

A lot of research goes into developing the content of our exhibitions. And in the course of that research . . . WOW! We come across never-before-seen archives, family photos, home movies, amazing objects, and people with touching stories to tell. Come and chat with Catherine Charlebois, our head curator, and the various guests she’ll be inviting to present these treasures from Montréal’s history.

For this event, Catherine will talk with Marie-Anne Gagnon, the MEM’s curator, and culinary historian Amélie Masson‑Labonté. They’ll explore Montréal’s terroir and culinary traditions, shaped by Indigenous know-how, waves of immigration, and local specialties that have been blended together over the centuries. They’ll discuss how these elements have shaped the city’s culinary identity and given rise to iconic foods. They’ll also talk about how the history of these products guided the selection of objects on display in our permanent Montréal exhibition. You’ll see that behind the classic bagel and smoked meat sandwich lies a rich and often surprising variety of local culinary traditions. A flavourful discussion with plenty of foodie anecdotes will reveal how cuisine, too, tells the story of the city through the tastes and practices of its inhabitants.

This activity will be offered in French.