Colombe St-Pierre Is Quebec’s First Chef of the Year | Eater Montreal

"Honored as Chef of the Year at the inaugural Les Lauriers, Chez-St-Pierre's chef-owner Colombe St-Pierre quite literally tumbled onto the stage, performing a somersault as she went to collect the award; dubbed the 'queen of the regions' for championing Québécois produce, she has put her small hometown on the culinary map by choosing to work close to the product — a decision that left her five hours from Montreal and prompted warnings she'd fail — and says she has been 'fighting everyday for 15 years' to show how wonderful Quebec's exceptional products are; while she acknowledges operating a restaurant remains tough because of taxes, credit card and food costs, she insists 'We still have fun, that's the secret.'" - Tim Forster