Montréal's Hottest Celebrity Chefs Serving Up A Feast At Devour! The Food Film Fest's 15th Anniversary
- Danny Smiles of Le Violon (Canada's #1 Best New Restaurant) returns to the Festival.
- He is joined by Chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard, of Le Mousso, featured in the Michelin Guide; and Massimo Piedemonte, a semi-finalist on Bravo's Top Chef season 22 and owner of Cabaret l'Enfer, Ariel Schor of Beba (ranked # 7) as well as other restaurants from Canada's Top 100 list.
- Top films at this year's Festival include the Opening Gala Film, Blueberry Grunt, directed by Newfoundland Director Sherry White, and the Canadian Premiere of Animals in War, shot on location in the Ukraine.
- New Festival events include a Montréal Night Market, Poutine Smackdown with East Coast and Montréal Chefs vying to become the Poutine King, and Chef Jean-Sébastien Giguère will bring his celebrated Cabane du Coureur Sugar Shack for the Golden Tines Awards Brunch.
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WOLFVILLE, NS, Sept. 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Take a bite of Montréal in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, on Oct. 20-26. Devour! The Food Film Fest, the world's largest food film festival, is kicking off its 15th Anniversary with a culinary explosion featuring award-winning filmmakers, Montréal's hottest all-star chefs, and over 30 Atlantic Canadian chefs, food producers, and beverage innovators. Tourisme Montréal and Air Canada are also giving two food lovers a chance to win a Montréal Gourmet Weekend Getaway to experience Montréal's electric food scene. The complete program, contest, and tickets are now available at www.devourfest.com.
This year's Festival features 57 events, including 47 films, 24 screenings, a new Montréal Night Market, the Poutine Smackdown, the Cabane à Sucre Golden Tines Awards brunch, the Taste of NS Opening Gala, the Chefs and Shorts Gala, Lunches at Le Caveau, and Lightfoot & Wolfville. On Saturday, we will celebrate our Acadian and Louisiana roots with Tour de L'Acadie bike ride, a Lobster fais do do and a concert with Grammy-nominated Dwayne Doopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, courtesy of Louisiana Tourism.
"There isn't a better way to celebrate our 15th anniversary than by showcasing our Canadian talent and culinary traditions," says Michael Howell, Executive Director of Devour! The Food Film Fest. "Over the past 15 years, we have welcomed over 99,000 guests, served over 75,000 meals, showcased 525 Atlantic Canadian chefs, producers, beverage innovators and helped 750 Nova Scotia, Ontario, and BC Culinary students receive valuable training and mentorship opportunities. We are thankful to our Wolfville and international community for helping put Nova Scotia on the map as a top food destination."
Chef Danny Smiles of Le Violon, recently crowned Canada's Best New Restaurant, will be joined by Michelin-recognized chef Antonin Mousseau-Rivard of Le Mousso, Top Chef semi-finalist Massimo Piedemonte of Cabaret l'Enfer, and Ariel Schor of Beba, ranked #7 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list. Also coming are Emma Cardarelli, Janice Tiefenbach and sommelier Ryan Gray—the powerhouse team behind Nora Gray, Elena and Gia—along with Stephanie Labelle, Patisserie Rhubarbe, Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Coureur des bois, Renée Deschenes -O'Hagan & Elias Louie Deligianis Bistro La Franquette. Festival attendees can taste Montréal chefs' creations at every level, from gala dinners to poutine, night market bites, and signature dishes at culinary workshops.
"Montréal is celebrated as the Festival capital of Canada, known for its unique blend of European charm and North American flair," says Yves Lalumière, CEO of Tourisme Montréal. "And our vibrant and welcoming culinary scene truly sets us apart. As the world capital of urban agriculture and with nearly a quarter of the mentions on 2025 Canada's 100 Best list, Montréal is a must-visit destination for food lovers. We hope this year's Festival inspires Atlantic Canadians to explore our city's incredible culinary delights! "
From over 300 submissions, this year's program features 47 films that take audiences on a culinary journey around the globe. Newfoundland Director Sherry White and lead actor Joel Thomas Hynes will open the Festival with Blueberry Grunt, which explores how a couple's seemingly innocent annual blueberry-picking trip goes awry. This film will be followed by the Exclusive Devour! After Party featuring a rare live music performance from Nova Scotia's very own Blueberry Grunt. Thursday's Québec spotlight film, Le Dernier repas, tells the moving story of a man with a troubled past who, while dying of cancer, reconnects with his daughter through her Haitian cooking. From the team at Rhombus Media comes Still Single, following Chef Masaki Saito, Canada's sole Michelin Two-Star chef, as he redefines omakase dining. Saturday's special presentation, Animals in War, was created by Ukrainian and international artists and activist Sean Penn to share the often-overlooked ecological toll of conflict through the lives of a rabbit, a wolf, and a cow. Local Nova Scotia shorts being featured include Priced to Thrill, the Gateway Meat Market story, and The ABCs of Oysters, a story of first-generation oyster farmers Trevor and Michelle, who leave corporate jobs to pursue their passion on Sober Island.
"Food is our love language, and for 15 years, we've crafted film programs highlighting its importance from various perspectives," says Lia Rinaldo, Managing Director, Devour! The Food Film Fest. "We're happy to report that our film program is 45% Canadian content this year, including three dramatic features from Québec as part of our spotlight. This year's Cannes Film Festival opening film, Partir un Jour from France, directed by Amélie Bonnin, will be closing our film. We are also thrilled to have esteemed Montréal food critic Lesley Chesterman join our Devour! Golden Tines Film Jury."
To celebrate our 15th Anniversary, in addition to our VIP All Access Passes, the Festival is launching 'day passes' that allow food and film lovers to experience three of the Festival's highlighted events each day. The full program can be downloaded here, or you can visit devourfest.com to purchase tickets.
About:
Devour! The Food Film Fest is the world's largest food film festival. The Festival's finely curated program highlights current food trends and issues, farming, sustainability, and the impact of current food systems on our lives, while proudly showcasing international and local chefs who help us taste the screen.
SOURCE Devour! The Food Film Fest
Media Contact: Natasha Compton, BeCurious PR, [email protected], 902.499.4095
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