MONTREAL, Nov. 21, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - After 11 days of culinary festivities, the second edition of TASTE MTL wrapped up this past November 11. Presented by the Produits d'érable du Québec, in collaboration with the SAQ, this Tourisme Montréal initiative accomplished its mission: brighten up the month of November with gourmet activities and affordable table d'hôte menus to encourage Montrealers and visitors to discover Montréal's bounty of gastronomic venues. A record number of patrons dined at some 125 participating restaurants—pretty impressive given that November is renowned for being a sluggish month that's not very profitable for restaurateurs.
According to a survey conducted among participating restaurants1, most experienced a 25% increase in the number of people in their restaurants over the first edition of TASTE MTL. Some restaurants were even booked full throughout the entire event. Close to 100,000 people took part in this second edition, generating economic spin-offs estimated at more than $4 million.
"After only two editions, TASTE MTL has already carved a place for itself among Fodor Magazine's North America's 15 Best Food Festivals, points out Mr. Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. "It not only demonstrates how excited people are for this event, but also the creative force of Montréal restaurant owners who make TASTE MTL a genuine success!"
"Thanks to TASTE MTL, we have beaten records in terms of sales and number of guests in all our restaurants (Bar & Bœuf, Les 400 Coups, Venti, Helena and the brand-new Racines). Our team worked very hard during the 11 days of the event, but what counts for us is that TASTE MTL gave us the chance to welcome brand-new clients," adds Jorge Da Silva Jr., owner of Groupe MTL Cuisine.
An event held as part of the Happy November celebrations, TASTE MTL presented an array of palate-pleasing activities: guided "happy hour" visits, opera singers on St-Denis Street and candlelight dinners on Mont-Royal Avenue. This year, too, chefs were challenged to incorporate maple syrup in an original way in their menus.
For the very first time, accommodation packages were offered as part of TASTE MTL and hundreds of visitors from Québec, Ontario, the rest of Canada and the United States took advantage of this special offer.
To shine the spotlight on Montréal as a not-to-be-missed gastronomic getaway, the Tourisme Montréal team hosted 20 or so journalists and bloggers from abroad during TASTE MTL press tours. Many local and international media covered Montréal Restaurant Week and the event was an especially hot topic in Toronto, New York and California thanks to thousands of mentions on social media channels.
Lastly, TASTE MTL's Web site (mobile and regular version) received more than 321,300 total visits for this second edition, representing a 77% increase in visitor traffic over last year.
| What the chefs and restaurant owners say about TASTE MTL… "A great moment for Montréal restaurants!" - Martin Juneau, chef of the restaurant Pastaga "TASTE MTL is an island of paradise in November's sea of dreariness. The event gives Montrealers a chance to discover all the great things Montréal has to offer." - Giovanni Apollo, chef of restaurant Apollo 1333 "We noticed a definite increase in the number of patrons, not only compared with our regular schedule, but also compared with last year's event." - Benoit Dessureault, owner of the restaurant Chez Delmo "This TASTE MTL event is an excellent initiative by Tourisme Montréal. It falls right in the middle of a pretty calm period of the year and allows food lovers to discover our restaurant. Bravo!" - Pierre Jean, maître d' of the restaurant Le Valois "TASTE MTL is an interesting initiative because it encourages Montrealers to take advantage of the city's restaurant offer at a time when they would probably rather stay home!" - Jean-Pierre Des Rosiers, co-owner of the restaurant Accords |
Coming back in 2014
Bolstered by the success of its first two editions, the event will be back in 2014 (exact dates to be confirmed). Until then, visit the TASTE MTL Web site to stay tuned to the latest news and share your gourmet experiences and comments on Twitter with the hashtag #TASTEMTL.
To relive the fantastic memories of this second edition, watch the recap video.
See you next year!
About TASTE MTL
A Tourisme Montréal initiative, TASTE MTL is an invitation to an 11-day celebration of the best of Montréal's gastronomy. During the month of November, this culinary rendezvous showcases delicious fixed-price menus ($19, $29 and $39) in more than 125 restaurants around the city as well as an array of special activities.
To find out more about TASTE MTL, visit www.mtlatable.com.
About Tourisme Montréal
Tourisme Montréal is responsible for providing leadership in the concerted efforts of hospitality and promotion in order to position the "Montréal" destination on leisure and business travel markets. It is also responsible for developing Montréal's tourism product in accordance with the ever-changing conditions of the market.
For more information, please visit www.tourisme-montreal.org.
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1 Survey conducted by Tourisme Montréal between November 12 and 20, 2013. 48 restaurants participated in the data collection.
Image with caption: "After 11 days of culinary festivities, the second edition of <http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/tastemtl/index-en.php> TASTE MTL wrapped up this past November 11. Close to 100,000 people took part in this gourmet extravaganza, generating economic spin-offs estimated at more than $4 million. (Restaurant Racines) (CNW Group/Tourisme Montréal)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131121_C9596_PHOTO_EN_33684.jpg
SOURCE: Tourisme Montréal
Alexandra Graveline
Manager - Corporate Public Relations
Tourisme Montréal
Tel.: 514-844-3558
Cell: 514-994-5639
[email protected]
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