I could describe majestic Thirty-One Mile Lake, the oh-so-welcoming rooms in the inns, or the beautiful cottages located on the site … but instead I’ll use these lines to proclaim that the flank steak (beef bavette) served at L’Huile d’Olive restaurant is by far the best in the Outaouais ... In Quebec? In Canada!

The man behind this culinary masterpiece is Marc Gervais, the executive chef and sommelier who has been expertly running this kitchen for two years now. After 11 years at St-Estèphe and L’Espresso, Marc worked as a chef at the Ramada Plaza Manoir du Casino, Le Rituel, and the DoubleTree by Hilton Gatineau-Ottawa. It was a catering gig that took him to Bouchette, for the wedding of the owners of the Majopial. He must have made a very good impression, because the newlyweds wasted no time in inviting him to take over the kitchen of L’Huile d’Olive. He’d been a chef for almost 30 years, but it was his passion for wine that persuaded him to accept their offer. When you see the impressive wine cellar stocked with 95% private import bottles, you’ll understand why Marc left Gatineau to settle on the shores of Thirty-One Mile Lake!

Far from the suffocating neon-lit kitchens of urban restaurants, Marc savours every moment of his new life. In Bouchette, time stands still. No one is in a hurry to finish their meal. “People come here to take their time, spend a quiet evening. Dinner becomes the main event, and that’s how it should be,” Marc told me as he tended to the ovens. He’s the most laid-back chef I’ve met in my life. That could very well be the secret to preparing the best flank steak ever. + Discover more inspiring profiles on our Ambassadors page!