Feeding People and Bringing Cultures Together with the Gourmet Programming of Montréal en Lumière, Presented by National Bank
The National Bank Gourmet Programming continues until March 7, offering a series of must-attend culinary events.
At Montréal en Lumière, we don’t just eat — we meet, we exchange, we celebrate. Chefs and restaurateurs imagine one-of-a-kind moments where culinary creativity blends with the joy of being together. These collaborations tell the story of a city that is vibrant, curious, and deeply effervescent. And fortunately, the gourmet programming runs until March 7 — the perfect opportunity to savor Montréal.
La Spada x Snowdon Deli: It All Starts with Scott
If Scott Usheroff had to describe Montréal in three words, he would choose: layered, resilience, creative — a city built on cultural layers, collective resilience, and a creativity that constantly reinvents itself.
The young entrepreneur’s journey began behind a camera. During the pandemic, searching for momentum and meaning, he started photographing friends’ restaurants. The gesture was spontaneous, almost instinctive — and it marked a turning point. He returned to study commercial photography at Dawson College, then dove in full time. Yet at the heart of it all, restaurants remained his true passion. With La Spada, which opened in summer 2024, he puts everything on the table: his vision, his energy, and a deeply personal part of himself.
His photographer’s eye shapes the entire experience. The lighting, the plating, the textures, the rhythm of service — every detail contributes to a cohesive and sensitive staging. Nothing is static, but nothing is left to chance. La Spada pays homage to heritage while infusing it with contemporary boldness. The restaurant is distinctly Montréal because it embraces a mix of influences, cultures, and culinary memories that meet, transform, and coexist in one dining room.
A Deeply Personal Encounter
Collaborating with Snowdon Deli is profoundly meaningful for Scott. The institution is part of his childhood memories; he grew up there.
As Snowdon Deli celebrates its 80th anniversary (!), it has agreed — for the first time — to a collaboration as part of Montréal en Lumière. The idea of uniting Italian cuisine and Jewish culinary heritage — old and new — felt like a joyful inevitability.
What unites La Spada and Snowdon Deli goes beyond culinary differences. It lies in a shared culture of generosity. Both places were built on the idea of nourishing people in a unique atmosphere. Community comes before cuisine. You don’t go to La Spada or Snowdon Deli just to eat — you go for the ambiance, for the people. Whether it’s balancing a tomato sauce or hand-slicing smoked meat, technique matters and craftsmanship is deeply respected.
Two Traditions, One Table
The menu was conceived as a conversation between two worlds. Among the dishes, a carbonara topped with freshly sliced, steaming smoked meat stands out as the ultimate symbol of the encounter — a dish that might very well represent Montréal itself.
If Scott had to sum up the evening: “Two traditions, one table, and pure love.” The emotion they hope to create is one of sharing and conviviality — a warm, lively, family-style dinner. For him, Montréal en Lumière’s gourmet programming is above all a beautiful excuse to create connections and unforgettable moments.
Montréal, City of Crossroads
Why could this collaboration only happen here? Because in Montréal, he says, Italian nonnas and Jewish bubbies debate who cooks best — before serving you both. A Montréal deli, in his view, is a timeless capsule where past and present coexist.
And the perfect evening around a table? Wine flowing freely, comforting dishes, and animated conversation.
In a city shaped by its heritages and cultural blending, these culinary encounters remind us that gastronomy is much more than the art of dining — it is a way of caring for one another.
In Montréal, we don’t just eat — we nourish ourselves with stories. And we do so with a hospitality that is truly one of a kind. The National Bank Gourmet Programming concludes on March 7 with a host of exceptional evenings and other not-to-be-missed gatherings.
Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Scott Usheroff
