Toronto residents were disgusted and delighted in equal measure Saturday as the 5th annual World Poutine Eating Championship got underway in Yonge-Dundas Square.
The event, sponsored by Smoke’s Poutinerie, is the largest eating competition in Canada -- and the largest poutine eating competition in the world.
The dish, which was born in Quebec, is a combination of french fries, gravy and cheese curds. It's exactly as unhealthy as it sounds -- but Smoke's isn't ashamed of the dish in the slightest.
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The festival ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering free poutine all day, as well as an amateur and professional level eating competition, beer garden and a KISS cover band. What more could you possibly ask for, Toronto?
All of this gluttony went to support a good cause. Proceeds from the competition will benefit Covenant House, Canada's largest homeless youth agency.
Matt Stonie from San Jose, California, won the professional competition, eating almost 15 pounds in just 10 minutes. According to his Twitter profile, Stonie is the second-ranked competitive eater in the world, while still in college. Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, also from San Jose, ranked second, eating nearly 12 pounds.
This isn't the first time the duo have gone jaw to jaw. In July, Chestnut defeated Stonie in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, eating 61 hot dogs in 10 minutes, maintaining his title for the 8th consecutive year.
And it's @MattStonie w the win @poutinerie! 14.75 lb in 10!!! @joeyjaws 2nd w 11.75! pic.twitter.com/HSB1O1i6Vx— Major League Eating (@eatingcontest) October 4, 2014
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