Smoke’s Poutinerie will be turning up the heat on campus as the newest addition to Carleton’s dining services this September.
The poutine shop will be opening two campus locations: one in Oasis, located in the Residence Commons, and another in the main food court on the second floor of the University Centre, according to Aramark district manager David Van Dyk.
Smoke’s Poutinerie will be a permanent addition to campus, with the grand opening for Oasis, alongside Smoke’s Wienerie, on Aug. 30. The Food Court location will be opening on the first day of classes, Sept. 2.
Smoke’s is coming to campus with the cooperation of Aramark, which operates all food services on campus and has the exclusive right to food business on campus.
Van Dyk said Aramark is focusing on staying current and offering a variety of foods to students.
“Smoke’s is a fun brand that has certainly made an impact in the marketplace and compliments the locations we have added them to,” Van Dyk said in an email.
Aramark brought Smoke’s to campus as a “pop up” for a few days in April to see how the student population would react to the brand. Van Dyk said that based on student’s positive reactions, the poutine was a success. When Smoke’s offered free poutine to students last September, the line was blocks long and drew about 1,000 students.
Noah Richardson, a second-year journalism student and frequent Smoke’s customer, said he believes the new addition to campus will be a success amongst students and staff.
“[I see] them as a welcome presence amongst our otherwise tired selection of fast food outlets on campus,” Richardson said.
Third-year communications student Winona Mortley said although she’s never tried Smoke’s Poutinerie, she is excited to have it on campus.
“It’s something different. I’ve been here for three years and haven’t had poutine here, so it would be kind of cool,” Mortley said.
“We have lots of Tim Horton’s, Starbucks, Subway, and pizza, so this is kind of taking a different path . . . It will be good,” she said.
Ryan Smolkin, founder and chief executive officer of Smoke’s, said he is excited to have their newest location open up at Carleton.
“I’m fired up because that’s my core demographic—the university level. That’s who we’ve built this whole company around,” Smolkin said.
Smolkin said a university campus like Carleton gives Smoke’s Poutinerie the opportunity to give back to the people that supported the brand since its launch.
Smoke’s will offer a variety of poutines like chicken, steak, pork, beef, and vegetarian, as well as custom sauces off of a hybrid menu, according to Smolkin.
The upcoming opening at Carleton will be Smoke’s second location in the city of Ottawa. The other is located downtown on Dalhousie Street.
“It’s time to take it home. Let’s go to Carleton,” Smolkin said.
