Territories Volume 1: Spring

It's so much better when you know where it comes from

Because we tend to be charmed by local products, because we love getting our hands dirty, because our forests and rivers have so much to offer, we wanted to pay a kind of tribute to these lands that define and nourish us. Our riches are so numerous; we're embarking on a journey through four seasons. Come along, we'll start with spring!

Fabien Cloutier is the creator of the television series Léo, in which he played the title role for all five seasons. His play, Pour réussir un poulet (How to Cook a Chicken), won the Governor General's Literary Award in 2015. He has appeared as an actor in numerous productions on both the small and big screens, and is also a popular commentator on television and radio. His columns on Quebec expressions and regionalisms, as well as some of his monologues, have been published in the collections Trouve-toi une vie (Find Yourself a Life) and L'allégorie du tiroir à utensils (The Allegory of the Utensil Drawer). Touring Quebec with his comedy shows, he has enjoyed discovering local products and meeting artisans of good food and drink. A hunter and fisherman since childhood, he has also recently embarked on a truffle-growing project.

Jean-Philippe Leclerc is a chef passionate about nature and wild ingredients. Combining his culinary skills with his love of hunting, fishing, and foraging, he creates dishes that are both rustic and refined. Co-author of the book Hooké: Adventures and Wild Cuisine, founder of the Cuisine Forestière group, and instructor in the Chef training program at the École hôtelière Fierbourg (Quebec), Jean-Philippe champions a sustainable and local approach to food.