Picard Bows Out

OTTTAWA — Montreal’s Wild Chef, and owner of the city’s Au Pied de Cochon restaurant, Martin Picard, has decided not to prepare his planned Winterlude dinner, Feb. 4 at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Que.

This news follows protests from animal-rights activists lobbying against the chef preparing foie gras at the event. “[Picard] informed us, after we discussed with him the idea of not putting foie gras on the menu, that his preference was to bow out of the event,” NCC spokeswoman Lucie Caron is quoted as saying by Postmedia News.

Picard will be replaced by Michael Smith of the Food Network’s Chef at Home.

The annual winter celebration, that features season-themed activities across Ottawa and Gatineau, runs from Feb. 4 to 21.