The Chip Stand - by Joel Kimmel & Chantal Bennett (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The humble chip stand is an iconic symbol of Canada and a welcome sight to hungry tourists and locals alike.

Eating at a chip stand is an unpretentious experience. No white tablecloths or extensive menus here. The chip stand is where down-to-earth, real Canadians go to indulge. It's the quintessential Canadian road trip food. From coast to coast, these colorful shacks, sheds, buses, vans and trucks dish out delicious French fries, poutine, hamburgers and steaming hot Pogos.

For 10 years, illustrators Chantal Bennett and Joel Kimmel have taken road trips around Canada searching for the best chip stands, interviewing the owners and celebrating the colorful stands in drawings and paintings. Their beautiful illustrations capture the eclectic aesthetic of chip stands from British Columbia to Newfoundland.

Sadly, many chip stands are disappearing or being replaced with shiny food trucks. This book serves as an archive of Canada's disappearing chip stands that so many people cherish. It offers up a fresh-cut serving of over 130 illustrations of the best-looking chip stands in the country.

With amusing histories of the chip wagon, poutine and the casse-croûtes of Quebec, this book even gives away the secrets to making the perfect fry. The Chip Stand includes:

• History of the Pogo
• Anatomy of a perfect poutine
• A note about casse-croûtes
• History of poutine
• History of the chip stand.

Once you've read this book you'll never look at a chip stand the same way again.

About the Author

Joel Kimmel is an illustrator who has worked with clients such as Nike, ESPN, and Microsoft. His work has been published in the Globe and Mail, Maclean's, the Los Angeles Times and Canadian Wildlife magazine, among others. He has designed over 35 coins for the Royal Canadian Mint, including a commemorative loonie and toonie. He loves drawing portraits, maps and basketball players and also sketching at restaurants. He is a graduate of Sheridan College's illustration program.

Chantal Bennett is an illustrator who has worked for clients such as Chatelaine, the National Post and Canadian Geographic. She enjoys illustrating portraits, icons and other things that reflect her passion for history, fashion and vintage things in general. She also has a soft spot for fairytales and turn-of-the-century illustrations. She studied illustration at Parsons the New School for Design.