Debbie Zakaib, Quebec fashion & food leader, has died

Debbie Zakaib, a driving force in Quebec's fashion industry who more recently shaped the province's culinary landscape, passed away Thursday following a brief battle with cancer.

Her daughter Daphnée Taillefer announced the news on Instagram: "My mom, my bestie, my life. Today, you left us after a short but difficult battle with cancer. There are no words to express the pain we are living through."

Zakaib was married to businessman Alexandre Taillefer. The couple lost their son Thomas ten years ago this month.

Over the past two years, Zakaib had transformed Quebec's gastronomic scene as general director of La Table Ronde, a collective uniting the province's leading chefs and restaurant entrepreneurs. The organization credits her with orchestrating the Michelin Guide's launch in Quebec and establishing programs like the Accélérateur Leadership au féminin and an incubator supporting industry leaders.

Chef Normand Laprise, who received the Icon Award at the North America's 50 Best Restaurants ceremony in September—a list where Quebec earned strong representation thanks partly to Zakaib's efforts—struggled through tears while remembering her. "In restaurants, I've seen many try to bring people together and fail. The work Debbie and her team accomplished is incredible."

Vanya Filipovic, president of La Table Ronde's board and co-owner of Mon Lapin and Rôtisserie La Lune, wrote on LinkedIn that "there are no words to describe the mountains that (their) passion and determination have moved. My deepest thoughts are with (their) family and loved ones."

Before entering the food world, Zakaib built her reputation in fashion. As founding general director of mmode from 2015 to 2022, she united designers, manufacturers, retailers, and importers under one organization that gave Quebec's fashion industry a unified voice with government.

François Roberge, who launched mmode, remembers her devotion to local designers. "She was the first to wear everything Quebec designers created. She gave credibility to the Quebec fashion industry at the government level."

"Over the course of my many meetings with her, I noticed an exceptional ambassador for Quebec gastronomy and a remarkable woman who always promoted the cooperation of all the actors around a table," wrote Martin Vézina, spokesperson for the Quebec Restaurant Association.

Montreal mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada wrote on X that "Debbie Zakaib will remain in our memories as a fervent ambassador of Quebec talent, an unparalleled unifier, and an inspiring leader who dedicated her career to the prosperity of the creative sectors and the cultural richness of Montreal."

La Table Ronde posted a tribute calling her "a pillar" and "their Queen of Hearts," adding: "Debbie Zakaib leaves us with immeasurable energy. An icon and force of nature, her resilience surpasses understanding. Radiant, she built unshakeable bridges that will continue to carry us and mobilize us."