Here's food you can listen to: Phi Centre's Soundbites pairs playlists with meals

Old Montreal's multidisciplinary Phi Center has enjoyed a special place as one of Montreal's most unique museums for its multisensory approaches to experiencing art, culture, cinema, music and technology. They innovated on their approaches since the beginning of the pandemic with VR headsets to go and creating a music venue on their rooftop, and now? They're adding supporting local restaurants to the mix by combining podcasts with food in their Soundbites series (or La Fourchette et le micro in French).

From now until January 31, the Phi Center team has joined up with three chefs, each with the goal of sharing their personal stories that range from the hows and whys behind their careers as chefs to the fulfillment of their dreams in the kitchen and how they became masters of their own destinies by creating their own restaurants. 

The three chefs that form this series are Danny St-Pierre of Accommodation Danny, Akim Acacia of the Caribbean restaurant Pikliz, and Maria-José de Frias of the pan-African restaurant Le Virunga. Each of them have their own unique stories to tell that are enjoyed with three-course meals especially prepared for the occasion that you eat along with.

Find out how Maria-José de Frias went from Congo to Belgium, how the TV program Bon appétit bien sûr by Joël Robuchon indirectly influenced her career, and learn about her first love in Montreal, all while discovering the blend of spices from Cameroon, Beninese accompaniments, Tanzanian marinades and Quebec terroir that form her restaurant's culinary profile.

Then there's the rock star chef-cum-pizzaiolo, Danny St-Pierre. Through St-Pierre's story, you will understand how his latest restaurant is the logical continuation of his career, and his exhilarating journey which has led him today to the helm of Accommodation Danny. If you want an idea of the food you'll be tasting, check out out story about his new project here.

We can leave Montreal, but Montreal can never leave us: It's a phrase that takes on its full meaning for the Montreal-Haitian chef Akim Acacia. Telling stories that recount his love for his homeland and his family, which led him to open his restaurant Pikliz, Acacia tells stories about his childhood.

The cost for each menu is different, ranging from $22 to $45 per person and must be picked up at the address specified on the website. The Soundbites experience is available until January 31, 2021.

This story was translated from the original French version on Time Out Montreal by Tommy Dion.

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