For its fifth episode, the Cities at the Table podcast welcomes Montréal to explore how food and gastronomy shape the city’s tourism strategy and urban identity.
The Food Capitals by Délice Network is pleased to announce the release of a new episode featuring Tourisme Montréal. Titled Designing a Food Destination: Montréal’s Recipe for Gastronomy Tourism, the episode highlights how the city leverages its culinary culture, festivals, and urban food innovation to position itself as a leading gastronomic destination.
Host Jessica Férey, Executive Director of The Food Capitals network, is joined by Marie-Dominique Boucher, Interim Director – Destination Development and Financial Assistance Programs at Tourisme Montréal, to discuss the role of gastronomy in destination development, from culinary creativity and signature events to urban agriculture and sustainable food systems.
Montréal, the largest city in Québec, is a cosmopolitan and inclusive metropolis where diversity lies at the heart of its identity. Its gastronomy reflects this richness, blending iconic local dishes such as poutine with a vibrant multicultural food scene rooted in creativity and terroir. In 2025, the city further strengthened its international profile by welcoming the Michelin Guide for the first time, with three restaurants awarded a Michelin star.
Beyond its restaurants, Montréal is also a global leader in urban agriculture, with rooftop farms transforming the city’s skyline and reinforcing access to local, sustainable food. Throughout this episode, Cities at the Table showcases how Montréal connects food, tourism, sustainability, and urban planning to shape a distinctive and forward-looking gastronomy destination.
Montreal is a founding member of The Food Capitals by Délice Network and currently serves on the Executive Committee.
“Food has the superpower to connect people across cultures, inspire travel, and transform cities into unforgettable destinations,” says Marie-Dominique Boucher.
About The Food Capitals by Délice Network
The Food Capitals is the international network of cities committed to using food and gastronomy as powerful tools for economic and sustainable urban development, cultural identity, urban well-being, and city attractiveness. Founded and headquartered in Lyon since 2007, this non-profit organisation gathers cities working together on food culture, food sector, food policies, and food scene development.
About Tourisme Montreal, Canada
Tourisme Montréal is a 100-year-old private, non-profit organization that works to position Montréal as an international-calibre leisure and business travel destination. To this end, the organization is piloting innovative hospitality strategies with a two-fold objective: ensuring that visitors enjoy a memorable experience and maximizing tourism economic spin-offs in a sustainable way with long-term impacts for the city. Uniting more than 1,000 businesses and organizations working directly or indirectly in tourism, Tourisme Montréal plays a leading role in the management and development of Montréal’s tourism business, and makes recommendations on issues surrounding the city’s economic, urban and cultural development.
Photo credits: ©Alison Slattery Two Food Photographers - Tourisme Montréal © Daph&Nico - Tourisme Montréal © Tourisme Montréal
