Poutine Cup 2014 by Charcoal Collaborative
Poutine Cup
Thursday September 18, 2014
Fort Gibraltar
866 St. Joseph Street (corner of St. Joseph and Messenger)
Neighbourhood: St. Boniface
Website: charcoalcollaborative.com
Facebook: facebook.com/charcoalcollaborative
Twitter: twitter.com/CharcoalCollab
I have worn many hats in my life: server; bartender; marketing assistant, magazine editor, news reporter, columnist and restaurant reviewer.
Now I can add one more job to my resume: Poutine judge.
Come Thursday September 18, that's exactly what I'll be doing inside the Great Hall at Fort Gibraltar.
That's where 10 of Winnipeg's most notable restaurants will serve up their version of poutine—that French Canadian 'delicacy' of French fries, curds and gravy.
Those three ingredients are a starting point but contenders have been encouraged to make their own poutine rules. Pretty much anything goes as long as it's a) in the spirit of the dish and b) resembles poutine.
Poutine Cup is the brainchild of Promenade Café and Wine owner Shawn Brandson and his crew at the Fort Gibraltar Dining Corporation.
Brandson enlisted the help of Winnipeg's Charcoal Collaborative, a group of creative types who are also behind Le Burger Week, which is on right now until Sept. 7. (Here's a link for more information.)
Brandson hopes this will be an annual party/ contest that brings out the competitive nature in Winnipeg chefs. Poutine Cup may become an annual event too, he says.
Tickets cost $35 each for the evening party and includes poutine and a sample of Half Pints beer. Tickets are available at Normandy Shoppe (791 Corydon Avenue) or Gurevich Fine Art (62 Albert Street).
So, if you've got a hankering for poutine, poutine and even more poutine please join me along with my fellow judges Mike Green of MasterChef Canada fame; and chef Mandel Hitzer, co-owner of Deer + Almond.
Our vote for the best poutine is only half the battle. Diners will also vote for their favourite poutine of the night. The top two restaurants will each win a special trophy and bragging rights.
Peg City Grub is your ultimate source for everything foodie in Winnipeg. From the hottest chefs to the best new restaurants to the most delicious events, we’ve got you covered. Follow us on Twitter @pegcitygrub and visit www.tourismwinnipeg.com for more on the city’s fabulous dining options.
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