(Tourisme Montréal)-- It’s true that Montreal’s newest secret favourite restaurant is anything but a secret anymore. But while it’s tempting to relish the speakeasy vibe of Chuck Hughes’ beautiful basement Le Bremner, we really oughta share. Because a night out here spotlights something that makes this city great: Chuck Hughes—but not just his celeb factor, which is a little weird considering the chef-turned-TV-star still works the line in both his restaurants when he’s not off shooting his new TV show. Rather, go for the food and the vibe: Homey and inventive soul food, Montreal-style…

Chuck Hughes, as everyone knows, is the Montreal restaurant scene’s very own wild child. Once a busboy at glam Le Globe on St-Laurent, he then opened Garde Manger, favourite hotspot stopoff for clubbers in Old Montreal. He became TV spokesman for Hellmann’s Mayo, then became only the second Canadian to win Iron Chef (he beat Bobby Flay!), got his own Food Network show, Chuck’s Day Off, caters for backstage rockstars and their entourage at Osheaga every summer (I saw him doing dishes just hours after making Elvis Costello a poutine), and just wrapped shooting in Mexico on his new TV show for Cooking Channel (in the U.S.) and Food Network Canada.

The Details

Le Bremner, 361 Saint Paul Street East, (514) 544-0446