TORONTO — Mercedes-Benz and The MICHELIN Guide have partnered to launch a new dining series. A Taste of the Future pairs chefs from Canadian MICHELIN-starred restaurants with emerging Canadian culinary talent to create menus inspired by three key themes that are driving the future of automotive excellence at Mercedes-Benz — technology, aesthetics, and sustainability. The dining series was inspired by the relationship between tradition and innovation that exists in both culinary arts as well as automotive engineering.
“From the first Motorwagen all the way through to today’s all-electric vehicles, Mercedes-Benz has always been fuelled by a pioneering spirit. In partnership with The MICHELIN Guide, we’re working with chefs who share that spirit and who are channelling it to create unique, unforgettable dining experiences,” says Andreas Tetzloff, CEO, Mercedes-Benz Canada. “Luxury customers trust the star as a symbol of excellence, whether it’s a restaurant’s MICHELIN Star or the iconic three-pointed star on a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.”
“The MICHELIN Guide has long celebrated culinary innovation and excellence. The stars truly aligned for our partnership with Mercedes-Benz. The brand’s values of quality, creativity, and innovation echo the characteristics of MICHELIN-starred restaurants and the chefs that drive them,” says Cara Cornelius, vice-president of Food and Travel Experiences for MICHELIN Americas.
A Taste of the Future kicked off at Toronto’s FRILU restaurant, the only restaurant in Canada to hold both a MICHELIN Star in recognition of its culinary excellence and a MICHELIN Green Star in recognition of its sustainable practices. The event was also a collaboration between FRILU’s executive chef John-Vincent Troiano, and emerging culinary talents chef Joel Gray and Hannah Harradine, co-founders of Down Home — a farm-to-table restaurant in Grey County, Ont. that celebrates sustainable farming, foraging, and production practices, and uses collaborative tasting menus to tell the stories of local farmers and producers.
“I loved the unique challenge of collaborating with other Canadian culinary talent to craft a menu inspired by the key themes that are driving the future of Mercedes-Benz. The iconic brand, especially its luxurious electric vehicles, has been a rich source of inspiration,” says Troiano.
“We’re immensely grateful to Mercedes-Benz for shining a light on our dedication to sustainable fine dining,” says Harradine. “Our collaboration with chef Troiano and the FRILU team was strengthened by our shared drive to innovate while maintaining standards of excellence — something we share with Mercedes-Benz, as well.”
The A Taste of the Future dining series will continue this spring with stops in Vancouver and Montreal. J-C Poirier, executive chef at MICHELIN-starred St. Lawrence in Vancouver will collaborate with emerging culinary talent chef Simon Mathys of Mastard in Montreal. The pair will create exclusive menus building on their innovative approaches to Quebecois and French cuisine with inspiration from technology, aesthetics, and sustainability.
