December’s Indi-Soul chili cheese poutine was created by Experience Relish. It features a masala gravy, cilantro lime yogurt, and crispy fried lentils, on top of fries and cheese curds.

Locally sourced and globally inspired, Experience Relish connects people through the universal language of food. As two Black women from Detroit—Brittiany Peeler and Le’Genevieve Squires— blend the home-cooked tastes of their roots with the exciting fresh flavors and dishes they discovered through their travel experiences #indi-soul. They put their heart and soul into introducing flavorful ingredients from their community and to their community; increasing awareness of food and health; and supporting one another while feeling connected through food. You can experience their passion and flavors through private and intimate catering events, pop-up shops, and community engagement activities.

Keep in touch with Experience Relish through their website and instagram

Peace Tree Parks is a Non-Profit Organization that was founded in 2015 with the mission to increase the access that Metro Detroit residents have to fresh organic produce by converting vacant land into community gardens. To execute this mission, two programs were created: 1) residential garden program, 2) community garden program. These programs work together and are designed to reach those in need regardless of race, age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. They use their community gardens as a path to demonstrate and provide education for students and residents about gardening with the goal of encouraging them to begin gardening themselves. They currently have three community garden locations. In total, Peace Tree Parks has taken ownership and converted 11 total vacant lots in the city of Detroit through their partnership with the Detroit Lank Bank Authority.

Keep in touch with Peacetree Parks through their website and instagram

November’s Field and Forest Poutine was created by chef Kirby Shoote. It features brined, sliced turkey breast, cranberry wojapi, mushroom gravy, and fried sage. Wojapi (pronounced woh-zah-pea) is a Native American berry sauce, traditionally made with wild berries and prairie root flour, sweetened with honey and maple syrup.

Kirby Shoote is a Tlingít urban farmer and cultural food worker based in Detroit, MI. Their work explores the various avenues of Indigenous food sovereignty and the ways in which ancestral practices can benefit the future. Since 2018, Kirby's urban farm ŁEILÚ has been dedicated to fostering the growth of traditional foods and medicines. They also host place-based pop ups under the name Winona. These culinary experiences aim to give people a glimpse into the diversity and beauty within Native cuisine.

Proceeds from this month’s poutine are going to CRAFT Citizens Resistance, a local Indigenous-led grassroots organization, deeply rooted in concern for environmental justice and the well-being of the earth.

October’s Bistek Poutine was created by Ba·On Detroit.

It features thinly sliced beef steak marinated in soy sauce and kalamansi juice, topped with beef gravy, grilled onions, and cilantro.

In Tagalog, baon (“ba-ohn”) refers to provisions for a journey. Danielle Daguio, Alessandra Carreon, and Bekah Galang launched Ba·On Detroit in 2022 to offer food centered around FilipinX culture. The sometimes grocery subscription, sometimes pop-up is always cooking and learning from the ancestors that brought us here. 

Proceeds from this month’s poutine are going to the Center for Babaylan Studies. The Center for Babaylan Studies is committed to uplifting the wisdom of Indigenous living traditions of the Philippines toward the pursuit of Indigenous sovereignty, individual community healing, justice, and liberation.

September’s Shawarma Poutine was created by Chef Amanda Saab.

It features halal chicken shawarma, garlic toum gravy, pickled turnips, diced tomatoes, garlic sauce, and fresh parsley.

Amanda Saab is a chef, activist, and educator recognized for her appearances on MasterChef and for founding Dinner With Your Muslim Neighbor, a nationwide initiative bridging communities through food and conversation. A social worker by training and Program Director at Detroit Food Academy, Amanda uses food as a tool for justice, youth empowerment, and cross-cultural understanding. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Today Show. 

The proceeds from this month’s poutine sales are going to Detroit Food Academy. We love DFA! They envision a Detroit where youth are powerful - leading, changing, and co-creating Detroit’s food system through culinary arts and and food entrepreneurship. From cooking delicious healthy meals for friends and family to facilitating complex conversations with community to developing artisan food projects from scratch to market, students learn by transforming their ideas into reality. Through this process, they grow as holistic leaders who are healthy, connected, and powerful to effect change in our communities and beyond.

August’s poutine was created by Chef Masai May, is Chicken Yassa, with proceeds benefiting Heritage Works.

Considered Senegal’s national dish, it features lemon mustard marinated chicken, grilled, and covered in a caramelized onion gravy.

Chef Masai May is a Detroit-born chef whose work is rooted in culture, community, and storytelling. A proud alumnus of the Nsoroma Institute, where he studied African history, arts, and culture from a young age, Masai has long viewed food as one of the most meaningful ways to honor the traditions and ingenuity of the African diaspora. His culinary approach reflects a lifelong commitment to reconnecting with those roots while celebrating the people and neighborhoods that shaped him.

Now serving as Executive Chef at the Godfrey Hotel Detroit, just steps away from Brooklyn Street Local in Corktown, Masai is proud to contribute to a neighborhood that continues to evolve while holding onto its sense of community. Having grown up in Detroit and later spending four formative years living and working on Beulah Land, a 2,000-acre farm in South Carolina, he developed a deep respect for the land, the rhythm of agriculture, and the humble beginnings of the ingredients that nourish us. Those experiences continue to influence the way he cooks today, blending the resilience of Detroit with an appreciation for the traditions that connect people across generations and continents.

For this collaboration with Heritage Works and Brooklyn Street Local, Masai created a poutine inspired by Yassa Poulet, one of Senegal’s most beloved national dishes. More than a recipe, it is a gesture of respect, a culinary tribute to a country whose history and culture have profoundly influenced his own journey. Knowing that this project helps send Detroit youth to Senegal makes the opportunity especially meaningful. It represents a full-circle moment, using food to help connect the next generation to the same continent that has so deeply shaped his identity, his purpose, and his work.

For twenty-five years, Heritage Works has contributed to the cultural vibrancy of Detroit through movement, music, and folklife. Heritage Works mission is to promote youth and community development through cultural traditions, arts, and education. We accomplish our mission through two major programs --

• Youth Works. Youth Works includes Work Arts, creative workforce development for youth and young adults, and Drum Roll, our mobile percussion outreach program

• Community Works. Community Works includes creative placemaking and Visiting Artists & Tradition Bearers.

Detroit x Dakar is an international cultural exchange that will bring 25 Detroit young artists to Dakar, Senegal. The Dakar Region of Senegal is hosting the 2026 Youth Olympic Games—the first Olympic event ever held on the African continent, and expecting 24,000 youth from around the world from October 30 - November 13, 2026. Detroit youth have something to share on this world stage.  Through dance, music, cultural immersion, Detroit young artists will collaborate with Senegalese young artists to activate Goree Island, A UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the Door of No Return, as well as other Senegal sites. This exchange will strengthen their professional development and their understanding of African and world heritage while they serve as cultural ambassadors for the City of Detroit.

Led by Heritage Works, the program builds on long-standing partnerships with Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, Renaissance High School Dance, Detroit School of Arts Dance, and Bakalama Danse (Dakar, Senegal) to create meaningful creative and cultural exchange between African and American youth and to foster connection with youth from around the world. 

July’s poutine was created by Chef Leah Sypniewski, BSL’s Lead Cook. Leah is a seasoned chef who has years of restaurant experience across the country. Leah created a Green Curry poutine featuring seasonal veggies and crispy fried chickpeas. It is the first in the Poutine For The People that can be made vegan, customers and staff are raving about it.

The profits from this poutine are going to the Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center

The Southwest Detroit Immigrant and Refugee Center provides free and low-cost legal services to individuals who face barriers to accessing affordable legal services due to factors such as income, language, education, nation of origin, or immigration status. They prioritize serving Detroit residents and also support the broader Southeast Michigan community.

Chef Rohani Foulkes of Folk Detroit has created June’s Poutine for the People. It is based on Australian hot chips (fries) which are typically eaten with gravy, sour cream and chili sauce. The poutine features a sweet and spicy chili crema, crispy fried shallots, and scallions.

At the intersection of sustainability and culinary creativity stands a Waiben-Australian founder and operator whose journey from Cairns to Detroit has shaped a career rooted in ethical hospitality, sustainability, and community impact. Since 2016, Rohani has launched nationally recognized, mission-driven establishments—including the award-winning, James Beard–nominated Folk café—prioritizing fair labor, biodynamic provisions, and minimal-waste practices. Beyond Folk, her ventures include Neighbor, a modern sundry and event space located at The Station at Michigan Central — together we continue to redefine excellence through equity, craft, and care.

June’s Poutine for the People is going benefiting Corktown Health. Corktown Health Center is the first medical home focused on serving the LGBTQ community in Southeastern Michigan. We offer primary care, behavioral health services, comprehensive HIV care and treatment, cancer screening, health insurance navigation and more. We are a collaborative work-in-progress and are continuing to grow and expand in order to offer more services that meet the needs of our community.

BSL’s co founder and owner chef Jason Yates has created May’s Poutine for the People. It features braised lamb on top of fries, cheese curds and beef gravy, and topped with a mint yogurt sauce, pickled red onion and mustard seeds. Jason is so talented at balancing flavours, acidity and umami, this poutine is a perfect example of that.

May’s poutine is raising money for Freedom House Detroit. For over 40 years, they have provided shelter, legal aid, and compassionate support to survivors of persecution who come from all over the world, seeking safety. They have a number of amazing programs that provide housing, legal aid, job training, medical and mental health care, and more.

Chef Ederique Goudia turned her signature gumbo into a poutine! It will be benefiting the Outlier Media. We can’t wait!

Ederique “Chef E” Goudia is not just a chef; she’s a connector, weaving the rich tapestry of Detroit’s food scene with a deep commitment to equity, culture, and community. Her work is rooted in the belief that food is more than sustenance—it’s a vessel for preserving history, addressing systemic inequities, and building connections across diverse communities. 

As the manager and business coach for the Shed 5 Incubator Kitchen at Eastern Market, Chef E collaborates with local organizations like TechTown Detroit, Michigan Good Food Fund, and Make Food Not Waste to uplift underrepresented voices in the food industry. Her advocacy spans critical issues such as child nutrition, food security, food waste reduction, fair wages, and mental health support within hospitality—areas that are often overlooked but essential to creating a more just food system. 

Chef E’s impact resonates far beyond Detroit. Her work has been highlighted by National Geographic, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Eater, Edible WOW, and NPR. She has shared her culinary expertise on Fox 2 Detroit and contributed recipes to publications like the James Beard Foundation’s A Plate at the Table, Hour Detroit, and Eating Well. Through her agency In the Business of Food (IBF Detroit), she empowers minority-owned and under-resourced food businesses with tools and resources to thrive.

Outlier Media works toward a vision of a liberated city with healthy civic infrastructure rooted in Detroiters’ participation and self-determination.