On November 5, evian® presented Reflections of Terroir at Toronto’s Olga Korper Gallery — a multisensory gastronomic experience inspired by the brand’s Alpine heritage and its deep belief that water goes beyond hydration to become an essential part of the culinary experience.
For the occasion, evian invited Menu Extra, led by Chef Francis Blais, to collaborate for the first time in Toronto on an evening celebrating balance, renewal, and discovery through gastronomy, design, and ritual!
Alpine Origins
Sourced from the heart of the French Alps and naturally filtered for over 15 years through glacial sands and stones, evian water stands out for its unique balance of minerals and electrolytes — including calcium, magnesium, bicarbonates, and silica — which give it its signature taste: pure, balanced, and subtly mineral.
Since its discovery in 1789 by the Marquis de Lessert in Évian-les-Bains, the brand has embodied refinement and well-being, building creative bridges between gastronomy, fashion, and sport — from collaborations with Pharrell Williams to partnerships with Carlos Alcaraz and the MICHELIN Guide.
A Setting Where Water Leads
For this Toronto edition, evian identified the venue, while Menu Extra was entrusted with its transformation. Under their creative direction, the minimalist Olga Korper Gallery was reimagined as a landscape of mirrored surfaces, mineral tones, and fluid forms. Inspired by glacial movement and biophilic design, the setting evoked the serene strength of Alpine water.
Menu Extra was also invited to translate this spirit into cuisine. Renowned for its scenographic approach to gastronomy, Francis Blais and his team crafted a menu in dialogue with evian’s character — textures reminiscent of stone and sand, flavors balancing clarity and depth, and temperatures and consistencies calibrated with meticulous precision.
“Mineral water often goes unnoticed at the table, even though it subtly yet profoundly influences the dining experience. In the pursuit of excellence in every detail, chefs and guests seek perfect harmony between the dishes, the drinks, and the ambiance. “This was an opportunity to both showcase extraordinary culinary talent and what makes evian unique through its elegance, its distinctive mineral profile, and its remarkable natural quality,” shares Alexandra Latendresse, Head of Beverages at Danone Canada.
This was an opportunity to both showcase extraordinary culinary talent and what makes evian unique through its elegance and exceptional natural quality.,” emphasizes Alexandra Latendresse, Beverage Director at Danone Canada.
The evian Ritual
Each course was introduced through the evian ritual — a precise and elegant gesture that transforms a simple pour into a moment of mindfulness. The bottle, presented with its label facing forward, is opened at the table, poured clockwise with the hand turned palm down, and finished with a subtle, palm-up twist. Each movement expresses balance and intention, preparing the palate and awakening the senses.
A Dialogue Between Terroirs
In the spirit of Mineral Spring, the immersive installation by artist Émilie Baltz presented during MICHELIN Guide celebrations in Toronto and Vancouver, Reflections of Terroir continues evian’s exploration of the intersection between gastronomy, design, and sustainability.
The evening created a dialogue between Évian-les-Bains and the Canadian terroir, between the geological patience of water and the creative precision of cuisine.
Gathering chefs, creators, and culinary minds, evian offered more than a dinner — it offered an experience of renewal, a reminder that elegance lies in restraint, and that the purest expressions of taste often begin with a single sip.
Written by Valérie Boutet
