Chef Alexandre Vachon
Inspired by nature
Chef Alexandre Vachon celebrates Québec’s terroir with a cuisine shaped by memory and nature. Raised in the village of Saint-Albert, Ontario, he discovered his calling at 15 while washing dishes in a small Italian restaurant where everything was made from scratch. His career has taken him from the Fairmont Château Lake Louise to Australia’s fine-dining world and to Montreal’s Maison Boulud at the Ritz-Carlton, each step honing his craft and broadening his vision. Now at Manoir Hovey, he cooks with humility and purpose, guided by sustainability and close ties to local producers. For Chef Vachon, simplicity is the highest luxury: every plate a reflection of place, people, and passion.
Raised by the land
Chef Alexandre Vachon creates a cuisine where every plate tells a story. Grandson of farmers, he cooks with his memories—childhood fields, family tables, and the voices of his loved ones. These roots become inspiration, giving life to dishes that are subtle, generous, and deeply human.
For Chef Vachon, cooking is not just technique—it is memory carried forward, a way of transmitting the essence of a place through taste. Each creation holds both the heritage of Manoir Hovey and the vibrant voice of the chef himself.
“Every plate is a way of caring, a way of bringing people together around beauty and flavor.”
Chef Alexandre Vachon
His philosophy celebrates the raw and powerful beauty of Québec’s terroir. Nature is not a backdrop but the very heart of the experience. Leaves, roots, flowers, and mushrooms form his culinary language, echoing the rhythm of the seasons and the landscapes around us. Local growers, artisans, and forgotten ingredients are given a voice, woven into a living gastronomy that is sincere, daring, and true. Products are never disguised—they are honored, elevated, and allowed to shine.
A journey of emotion
Dining at Le Hatley under Chef Vachon is an invitation to pause and feel. Each dish is a fragment of a story, a piece of memory passed from his roots to your table. It is a journey that awakens the senses, leaving impressions that linger long after the meal.
Beyond the recipe
This is a cuisine of connection—to the land, the seasons, the artisans, and the people who gather around the table. Above all, it is an ode to roots: those of the chef, of Manoir Hovey, and of Québec itself.
Where passion begins
Grounded by the love of his wife and three boys, Chef Vachon finds balance beyond the kitchen in the joys of family life—whether playing hockey with his sons, tending his garden at home, or boating and fishing together on Lake Massawippi. These simple moments of connection nourish his spirit and give deeper meaning to his craft.
