MONTREAL — The part of Quebec’s government responsible for luring tourists to this city singles out one star attraction in particular.

“Food is a Montreal passion,” the tourism ministry boasts prominently on its website. “The city has the largest number of restaurants per resident in all of North America.” Several of them sit reliably atop lists of the continent’s best.

But when the part of the same government that owns Montreal’s casino — one of the city’s “must-see attractions,” according to the tourism ministry — decided it needed an attention-getting restaurant, it didn’t turn to any of the successful locals. Loto Quebec, which oversees the gambling industry, instead chose Joël Robuchon, one of France’s most celebrated chefs.