MONTREAL, March 31 — It may not be nearly as well-known as its rival Michelin, but French restaurant guide Gault&Millau is hoping to expand its international reach by launching its first edition in Canada this year —  a country that has long been ignored by the venerated red guide.

Gault&Millau will launch first in Montreal and feature 150 restaurants across the city. Future guides will also be published for the rest of the country, including Toronto, in 2017.

It’s a strategic move that checks off a few boxes: In addition to filling a void in the international culinary landscape — the representation of Canadian talent in the food world — the decision to first launch in Montreal solidifies the cosmopolitan city as a dining destination worthy of attention.

Michelin does not cover Canada, while The World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking is likewise consistently void of Canadian dining institutions.

The province of Quebec is also a popular destination among French travellers, thanks to the shared language.

The guide will be written in both French and English.

Unlike Michelin which uses a three-star system to rank restaurants, Gault&Millau scores restaurants on a scale of 1 to 20. The highest-ranked restaurants display one to five ‘toques.’

In France, Gault&Millau markets itself as the more dynamic, progressive alternative to the red guide, which has been accused of being too conservative.

Gault&Millau;’s decision to launch in Canada is a strategic move as the Michelin guide does not feature the country.

The first Gault&Millau restaurant guide launched in 1972. Michelin restaurant guides date back to the 1920s.

Both guides dispatch anonymous inspectors who visit under normal conditions, pay the bills, and evaluate meals based on the quality of the food.

Founders Henri Gault and Christian Millau are also credited with propelling the ‘Nouvelle Cuisine’ movement in the 1970s, which aimed to modernise French gastronomy. The pair wrote a set of 10 Commandments that included calls for the use of fresher products, the elimination of heavy sauces, and new cooking techniques.

It could be said that Gault&Millau was to Michelin in the 1970s, what Le Fooding, another French culinary group, aims to be today.

Born out of a disdain for fine dining rules, overly starched waiters, and dinner tables groaning with excess silverware, Le Fooding regularly spotlights young, innovative chefs and casual restaurants.

Gault&Millau also has guides for the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg.

The Montreal edition of Gault&Millau is scheduled to be released May 30.

Expect popular dining destinations such as Toqué and Au Pied de Cochon to make the list. — AFP-Relaxnews