Its fame seemed to grow exponentially in recent years, but Quebec’s favourite dish, poutine, is now facing some adversity.
Fries, gravy and cheese curds have been roped into the conversation surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“We were threatened to be boycott,” said Sarto Blouin, a vice president with popular poutine chain Frite Alors!
He says the company has been hearing from angry customers, because its most popular classic poutine was called “The Vladimir.”
Blouin explained that naming their dishes after figures in the news has been a common practice at Frites Alors, naming one for former president George W. Bush.
READ MORE: Quebec diner drops word ‘poutine’ over dish sharing name with Russian president
In French, Russian president Vladimir Putin’s name has the same spelling and pronunciation as the plate of cheesy saucy fries, Poutine.
Putin has now become an international pariah for invading Ukraine.
“We decided that it was better to change the name. I had the idea of renaming it “Volodymyr” instead of “Vladimir.”
Frite Alors’ top menu item is now named for the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who many see as a hero.
Sylvain Charlebois, the author of the book “Poutine Nation” and director of Dalhousie University’s agri-food analytics lab, hailed the move.
“To actually support the Ukraine and Ukrainian leader in that way, I think is absolutely appropriate. And I think the clientele, would appreciate that,” Charlebois told Global News.
READ MORE: Canadian delicacy or Russian president? People confuse poutine with Putin
The expert, however, does not think the word Poutine should be dropped from menus because of Putin. A restaurant in Drummondville faced backlash for temporarily taking the word poutine off their menu in a move to denounce the Russian invasion.
“I just don’t see the point, to be honest,” said Charlebois.
Charlebois points out that in the entire English speaking world, the difference between Poutine and Putin is clear.
“There was never any confusion internationally between the dish and the Russian leader,” he said.
To the delight of many late night diners, poutine is here to stay. But at Frite Alors, at least, Putin is off the menu.