The Return of Montreal’s Culinary Mavericks

After years away from the spotlight, David McMillan and Derek Dammann — two of Montreal’s most influential chefs — are back. Their new restaurant, Grille-Nature, opening in the West Island’s Marché de l’Ouest, signals not a comeback to fine dining, but a return to simplicity, generosity, and heart.

McMillan, once the co-owner of Joe Beef, reunites with his longtime friend Dammann, formerly of Maison Publique, to create a space that rejects exclusivity. Grille-Nature is meant to feed everyone: locals, families, friends — the people they started cooking for in the first place.

The restaurant will focus on rotisserie, grilled meats, and honest comfort food. It’s a move away from the formality of downtown dining and toward something warmer and more communal.

For both chefs, it’s a homecoming and a rebirth — a chance to redefine what success looks like after building empires, stepping back, and rediscovering the joy of hospitality.

In a city where culinary scenes shift fast, McMillan and Dammann’s return feels like a reminder of what first made Montreal special: not trends, but soul.