Le Hatley, the gourmet restaurant at Manoir Hovey, has earned recognition on La Liste, a ratings organization based in Paris. La Liste's data-driven methodology confirms what guests at Le Hatley have long known: this little corner of Quebec's Eastern Townships punches above its weight. Located in a town of just 750 residents, Le Hatley scored the same as Joël Robuchon Las Vegas, Ai Fiori, Café Boulud, Sushi Yasuda, and Fiola in North America.
It edged out Cafe Boulud, Joe Beef, Le Mousso, Scaramouche and KissaTant in Canada while topping Babbo, NoMad, Sushi Nakazawa, Addison, Menton, Campton Place, Blackbird, La Granouille, Commander's Palace, Kyo Ya, Carbone, and Atomix in the U.S. (Here is the full list of winners.)
This is a testament to the talent of chef de cuisine Alexandre Vachon and his "dream team." Vachon joined Manoir Hovey in 2018 from Maison Boulud at the Ritz-Carlton Montreal. Drawing on his French Canadian roots, he creates cuisine that is familiar, hearty, refined, and soulful all at once, paying homage both to his heritage and to the land and producers around him.
While his menu is a tantalizing ode to Quebec terroir, the honor is not his alone. Manoir Hovey, a member of Relais & Châteaux, is at the forefront of the movement that has been attracting top culinary talent to Canada's Eastern Townships.
The team now includes a constellation of Michelin-star experience. Among them are food and beverage manager Jean-Charles Brakhausen, who has worked with three-star chefs Alain Ducasse; Arnaud Lallement; and Yannick Alléno; and head sommelier Jerome Dubois, who has worked for 3-star chef Marc Veyrat.
"It's an honor to learn that Le Hatley has earned a spot among such other distinguished restaurants," said Manoir Hovey managing director Jason Stafford. "We're proud of chef Alexandre and his team, and delighted that people are recognizing the beautiful Quebec countryside as an exceptional culinary destination."
For the past five years, La Liste has fed ratings and reviews from more than 600 sources into a computer. Data and algorithms determine the best of the best—for context, the list is topped by heavyweights like Guy Savoy, Le Bernadin, and Alain Ducasse.
Winter at Manoir Hovey: Manoir Hovey offers relaxed luxury, with activities both on and off site for guests to enjoy. In the winter, guests can enjoy an introduction to ice fishing with the guidance of a local charismatic guide, who sets up a sheltered area on the frozen lake and adds ambiance with a huge and warming wood stove, combined with a gas-powered pizza oven on skis. Guests can enjoy complimentary artisanal thin crust pizza on the ice along with other hot refreshments, followed by an introduction to ice fishing. The hotel has also partnered with Mohigan Adventures to offer guests an hour-long dog sledding experience. For a bucket list experience, guests can reach Manoir Hovey by seaplane from Montreal Airport. They can board a private Cessna operated by Hydravion Aventure, to be flown to the Eastern Townships and land right on the frozen lake, at the Manoir Hovey dock. The hotel also offers a hotel package that includes flights, one night accommodation, and a four-course dinner.
Around the region, points of interest include the Abbaye Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, indoor-outdoor Spa Nordic Station, local cheesemaker Fromagerie La Station, and a wine route covering 82 miles and 12 vineyards across scenic country roads.
