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Stampeders' players team up with chefs for "Gravy Bowl" Poutine Week battle

Andrew Bucholtz
This Smoking Duck Poutine, from the Stampeders' Adam Thibault and Wurst executive chef Rudy Schmid, was one of the entries in Saturday's Gravy Bowl, part of Calgary's fundraising Poutine Week. (From @r46despres on Twitter.)

A poutine contest for a good cause sounds like the greatest Canadian fundraiser ever, and that's what several Calgary Stampeders' players were involved with this week. As part of the Calgary Poutine Week, where every poutine sold in a participating restaurant from April 15-23 will also provide a free meal to someone in need through the local branch of non-profit Mealshare, seven Stampeders' players each teamed up with a different restaurant's chefs in a "Gravy Bowl" battle Saturday to create the best poutine variety. Here's a list of the players and chefs who took part and their creations:

Team #1
Quinn Smith,  #68, Offensive Lineman
Roy Oh, Owner and Chef, Anju Restaurant
Poutine for your Seoul; Korean Curry Tater Tot Poutine w/ curds, carrots, green onion

Team #2:
Rene Paredes, #30, Kicker
Cam Dobranski, Chef/Owner, Brasserie and Kensington Wine Bar
Buffalo Chicken Poutine; crispy fried chicken thigh on duck fat frites, with cheese curds, spicy tomato gravy, house made ranch and blue cheese.

Team #3:
Charlie Power, #46, Running Back
Mel LaFleur, Chef, Unicorn Superpub
Tacotine: crispy flour tortilla shell, golden tater tots, Quebec cheese curds, house queso cheese sauce, AAA Alberta chilli, fresh pico de gallo, lime cream fresh, cilantro & scallions

Team #4: Rob Cote, #26, Running Back
Sean MacDonald, Chef, Market
Carbonara Poutine. Black pepper bechamel, peas, pancetta, curds, pea tendrils, parmesan and sous vide eggs.

Team #5:
Tim St Pierre, #35, Running Back
Xavier Lacaze, Chef, Briggs Kitchen and Bar
Newf's Poutine, chunks of lobster and lobster cream.

Team #6:
Drew Tate, #4, Quarterback
Matt Davidson, Chef, Blanco Cantina
Blanco Poutine Burrito; Shaved skirt steak, cheese curds, spicy Mexican gravy, house cut fries, coriander scented onions

Team #7:Adam Thibault #2 Defensive Back
Rudy Schmid Executive Chef, Wurst
Smoking Duck Poutine; duck fat fries, cheese curds, green peas, speck gravy, truffle oil, topped with Duck confit.

And some photos from Saturday's event:

The St. Pierre/Lacaze lobster combination may have lifted the Gravy Bowl, but those are some remarkable poutines all around. Each will be available at the restaurant that created it throughout Poutine Week (April 15-23), and each poutine purchase at a participating restaurant will provide a meal to someone in need. It's great to see the Stampeders participate in a cool, super-Canadian event like this, especially one for such a good cause. Now that's a win-win for everyone.