Hall of Fame Award | 2022

One of Canada’s most well-known ambassadors of Quebec cuisine is Micheline Mongrain-Dontigny. She became interested in cooking at a young age and graduated from the Hotel and Tourism Institute of Quebec in 1980. Along with working as a chef, running a culinary school, and writing for some of Canada’s most popular magazines, Mongrain-Dontigny has authored fourteen cookbooks since 1988 that celebrate Quebecois culture. Traditional Quebec Cooking: A Treasure of Heirloom Recipes (1995) is an ode to the simplicity of French-Canadian cuisine and the many cultures, including Indigenous and English, that have shaped it. In the book, regional preferences and flavours are noted, along with historical tidbits that help explain how the recipes evolved over time. Throughout her career, Mongrain-Dontigny has played a critical role in educating cooks about historical and contemporary Quebec cuisine and ensuring that the province’s rich culinary history is preserved.