Tanière3's unique three-act reimagining takes its guests on a multisensory journey through tradition, terroir and time. As the winner of the Art of Hospitality Award, sponsored by Lee Kum Kee, as part of North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, the duo behind the Quebec City restaurant shares how to create the most memorable dining experience.
From an early age, Tanière3 restaurant director and co-owner Roxan Bourdelais' pursuit of excellence was evident, but perhaps not in the areas you might expect. He represented Team Canada as a national-level tennis player and enjoyed an early career as a child actor before joining the hospitality ranks at 18. He credits the tennis and the acting with his creative approach to life, great sense of timing, taste for choreography and impeccable precision.
After stints at Montreal's acclaimed French stalwart Europea and Maison Boulud, Bourdelais joined Tanière3's reopening team. He and chef François-Emmanuel Nicol were tasked with re-imagining previous iterations of Tanière – from its original opening as a rustic restaurant just outside Quebec in 1977 to a modernist tasting menu service using exclusively locally sourced ingredients from 2002-2015.
Roxan Bourdelais is dedicated to meticulous service with a unique Quebecois warmth
In March 2019, the third generation of Tanière opened between the St Lawrence River and Place Royale within the historic stone vaults of the Leber and Charest houses in Old Quebec. The revived restaurant also had a reboot in its name: Tanière3, a nod to its new direction, ownership and location.
Modern, wild Quebec
The restaurant delivers a multi-sensory experience that unfolds in three acts. Tanière3 upholds the traditions of its predecessors in its commitment to the province's natural bounty. Every ingredient used on the boreal-inspired menu, described by Bourdelais as "modern, wild Quebec," is sourced locally, whether grown, raised or foraged. It's a masterclass in terroir-driven cuisine, where every bite is unquestionably Quebecois.
Quebec cuisine doesn't always mean poutine and maple syrup. Nicol believes that "true luxury is not in caviar or truffles, but in the temporary ingredients that Mother Nature gives us for a very short period of time". Tanière3 also leads in innovation, offering one of the province's first non-alcoholic pairing menus, curated by bartender Simon Faucher.
One of Tanière3's seasonal dishes, Last Frost, is made with wintergreen, a plant native to North America found beneath layers of snow
"It's an immersive experience through culinary traditions," says Bourdelais. "It's not just about food, but the decor and surroundings in 400-year-old vaults." The space can theoretically house 110 seats, but it's been thoughtfully divided into four distinct areas, each with its own ambiance, to cater to 40. The windowless room's layout has been purposefully designed to enhance the dining environment; it helps guests lose track of time while immersing them deeper into the restaurant's culinary narrative.
The journey begins at a hidden entrance on la rue Saint-Pierre, accessed via a personalised code sent to diners on booking. After a dimly lit descent, guests arrive in the Bar Vault, where they are greeted with a welcome cocktail and a series of canapés in a room showcasing the ecosystem and microclimate behind Nicol's culinary ethos. Diners either move to the Main Dining Room for a classical and intimate dining experience for up to six people, or the Chef's Counter for an interactive experience alongside nine other guests beneath a dramatic tree root installation.
The final stop is the Dessert Vault: a bright, birch tree-filled room where desserts, mignardises and infusions are served in a surreal forest-like setting.
Guests experience the magical creations of pastry chef Jeremy Billy under birch trees in the Dessert Vault
Unserious service
Tanière3 offers a dining experience that challenges conventional expectations of fine dining, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the warmth and playfulness of Quebecois hospitality.
"I feel that in Quebec, our strength and personality is that we're really wonderful people, and we are very happy when people discover our province. We have our own touch. We work seriously, but we're not necessarily taking ourselves too seriously in what we do," Bourdelais says, noting that this balance often surprises international guests used to more formal service styles.
Guests quickly discover that the food is just one part of a much larger immersive experience. The generous hospitality is an extension of Quebec's welcoming nature.
Head bartenders Simon Faucher and Alexis Lemay play an integral role in Tanière3's personalised service style
"For us, it's just common sense," says Bourdelais. "You have to be technically sharp in service, on timing and choreography, but the whole exchange is personalised. [Our team's] common goal is caring for the customer and putting on a good show. About 90 per cent of the guests see all the details – the attention in the service, the decor, the music... So, the food served is the protein, and everything around it is the garnish, the sauce, and the seasoning."
The approach has earned Tanière3 a devoted following – more than 80 per cent of its clientele hail from Quebec and the Chef's Counter is already fully booked until the end of 2026. The Relais & Châteaux member's commitment to excellence and individualised touch has garnered it numerous accolades, including two Michelin stars, a 5 Diamond CAA/AAA rating, and now recognition by North America's 50 Best Restaurants for the welcoming and generous spirit it delivers consistently to its guests with the coveted Art of Hospitality Award 2025, sponsored by Lee Kum Kee.
It's all in the detail
Every detail at Tanière3 is carefully considered. Small gestures, like the personalised access codes used to enter the restaurant, aren't simply memorable, but add a sense of mystery and exclusivity. Bourdelais recognised early in the planning process that the guest experience can start well before the dining room.
He implemented a keypad system that links the unique access code assigned to each reservation to information the team has gathered about the guest through research or noted through previous dining room interactions. Activated 15 minutes prior to the reservation, the code enables staff to personally greet each guest by name, fostering a welcoming atmosphere and aiming to re-create the way it feels when you've "just entered a friend's house," says Bourdelais.
A dish of Quebec scallops, sturgeon caviar and Raphaëlle potatoes is accompanied by a poem written by Bourdelais
One of the most charming moments comes mid-meal, when guests discover – spoiler alert – individual drawers under the table. The drawers contain a personalised message (it's a mystery how accurate these are given the lack of seating arrangement) with a poem written by Bourdelais that's a tribute to the vault's original owner and the luxury of shared moments. It sets the tone for Tanière3's signature dish featuring beurre blanc-poached Quebec scallops, wild lake sturgeon caviar from Lac-St-Pierre and Raphaëlle potatoes.
Team spirit
The tightly knit team behind Tanière3 moves together like dancers, anticipating each other's steps, creating a seamless flow that guests feel but rarely see. More than half of the front-of-house team has been with the restaurant for more than five years, and a third since its inception.
"I have a tremendous team. Guests that come back two or more times a year are receiving that consistency because it's the same team, four days a week. It's ideal for chemistry, control and communication since we always work together. We know each other by heart, so there's that sense of family. And when we work together, we don't have to say much because we know our colleague's next move. This is really our strength," he says.
Head sommelier Jonathan Strokowski Ross has been with Tanière3 for four years, alongside most of the current team
Bourdelais doesn't hire based on a person's CV. "I hire the person," he says. "Humility, passion and openness matter more than experience." New staff are trained from the ground up, learning every role and developing an intuitive understanding of the space. "I've been blessed with applicants that are very passionate and willing to learn. They are proud of what they are serving, are part of a project that is bigger than themselves and feel honoured to be part of a customer's special moments every day."
Love language
Each team member brings their own personality to the table. Rather than delivering robotic scripts, staff are given the same guidelines but are responsible for their own service style – some are more technical, while others tap into emotion or share a personal anecdote – ensuring the 15-course tasting menu is anything but repetitive. "The explanations come from the heart," says Bordelais. Dishes aren't introduced by their ingredients but described by what they represent – a link with the history of the vaults, a cultural tradition or an outstanding producer.
"It's a very technical service on many levels with many interactions with our customers during the night. That's a blessing because you can really build something with the table. We're very focused on details, high standards, operations and little actions and gestures," says Bourdelais.
La Chasse-Galerie de Jérémy, a highly finessed dessert capturing the restaurant's commitment to detail
"We want our guests to feel seen and appreciated. Like, 'they are doing this because they noticed me and that if they position this thing a certain way, I would feel more comfortable'," says Bourdelais. "It's our language of love."
"François-Emmanuel and I have built the restaurant – the whole experience and concept – the way we wanted to, profoundly and with authenticity. It's an extension of us, who we are, our thinking and our vision. We don't follow others' standards because it wouldn't be our way; and recognition would come when it will."
Watch the video and discover the magic behind Tanière3:
Tanière3 is the winner of the Art of Hospitality Award, sponsored by Lee Kum Kee, as part of North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025. The first 1-50 ranking will be revealed on Thursday 25 September from Wynn Las Vegas.
