Local foods are increasingly present on the plates served by restaurateurs in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.
This is what the Table agroalimentaire du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, manager of the Boreal Zone, observed during a tour of 25 Flavor Ambassador restaurants in the region.
The “Ambassador of Flavors” designation is reserved for restaurants which, since 2016, have been committed to offering typical regional products and to highlighting the producers and processors who create them. And they are doing it more and more, concluded the Agrifood Table at the end of its tour.
“In 2024, we are particularly proud to announce an increase in several regional supply categories. This progression demonstrates the increased commitment of restaurateurs in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean to local producers and processors,” says Mylène Hébert, agri-food development advisor for the HRI sector at the Table agroalimentaire.
Local proteins are gaining popularity
The Table agroalimentaire notes, among other things, that the use of local meats and plant proteins is increasing among the restaurateurs visited.
The supply of meats and alternatives increased from 56% to 61%. A result which, it is said, reflects well the development of the meat industry in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.
Collaboration between market gardeners and chefs is also increasingly strong, with an increase in orders for fresh vegetables of 3%.
Restaurateurs mobilized
According to the Table agroalimentaire, “the chefs of the Ambassadors of Flavor establishments embody the culinary identity of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.” Their interest in local foods from Jeanne and Saguenay is all the more remarkable as it occurs in an inflationary context.
From 11 in 2020 to 20 in 2023, the number of accredited restaurants now stands at 25.
“As a restaurateur and Ambassador of Flavors of the Boreal Zone, I am honored to contribute to the development of our regional gastronomic heritage. Each dish we serve is a celebration of the richness of our terroir and the know-how of our local producers,” says Étienne Trottier, chef of the O’Batillage restaurant at the Auberge des Batures.
