What’s in a name? From the late 19th to mid-20th century, cafés, cabarets, and clubs in Montreal and the Eastern Townships promised elegance, secrecy, or escape. Drawing on archival menus and advertisements, Natalie Cooke explores how names and design mirrored class distinctions and shifting values, from Montreal’s “Sin City” hotspots to Sherbrooke’s Prohibition-era hotels, and why a bar in Mansonville is calling itself Pineapple.

Nathalie Cooke (Ph.D.) is professor of English at McGill University and a recognized scholar in literary food studies and material culture. Her research explores how objects like menus and textiles tell stories: through design, language, and hidden codes. She works across disciplines and archives, often drawing public attention to overlooked artefacts and their cultural significance. From Victorian fiction to WWII resistance stitching, her projects bridge academic inquiry with public engagement. Cooke brings history to life through close reading and material analysis. Her books focus on the evolution of literary and culinary taste.

This is a bilingual event: the lecture will be delivered in English, with English and French slides. At the end of the lecture, audience members are encouraged to ask their questions in the official language of their choice.

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