Where does poutine come from?
Quick answer
Poutine comes from Quebec, Canada, where it first appeared in rural snack bars in the 1950s. It’s made of three things: French fries, fresh cheese curds and hot brown gravy. The gravy softens the fries and slightly melts the curds. Once a humble roadside snack, it’s now often called Canada’s national dish.
The three essentials
| Ingredient | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| French fries | Thick-cut and crispy enough to hold up under gravy |
| Cheese curds | Fresh, mild cheddar curds that squeak when you bite them |
| Gravy | A light brown, often chicken- or beef-based sauce, poured very hot |
Real cheese curds are best eaten very fresh. Many Quebec dairies sell them the same day they’re made.
Who invented it?
Several towns in Quebec’s Centre-du-Québec region claim to be poutine’s birthplace:
| Claim | Story |
|---|---|
| Warwick | In 1957, a customer asked restaurant owner Fernand Lachance to put cheese curds on his fries; Lachance supposedly said it would make “une maudite poutine” (a darn mess) |
| Drummondville | Jean-Paul Roy says he added gravy to fries and curds at his restaurant in 1964 |
| Victoriaville | Another local restaurant also claims it |
What the name means
In Quebec French slang, poutine means a “mess.” It may come from the English word “pudding.”
Poutine everywhere
- Quebec’s fast-food chains and diners serve it at all hours.
- Fancy versions add foie gras, lobster, pulled pork or smoked meat.
- Toronto, Montreal and other cities hold poutine festivals.
- Chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King sell versions in Canada.
Similar dishes
In the UK, chips and gravy or cheesy chips are popular. In the US, disco fries (with gravy and melted cheese) are a New Jersey diner classic.
Canada’s other foods
Canada is famous for maple syrup, butter tarts and Nanaimo bars. For a maple-producing US state, see which state produces the most maple syrup. For a related potato dish from the UK, see what meat is in shepherd’s pie.
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