In a remarkable turn of events, a bidding war erupted over a highly coveted costume of a donair, a uniquely Canadian twist on gyros or döner kebabs, due to a disagreement over the recipe. This larger-than-life donair mascot costume, which consists of a pita filled with thinly sliced spiced beef, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and wrapped tightly in shiny aluminum foil, was sold for an impressive C$16,025 (£9,343) at a government auction.
The main source of contention, surprisingly, was the presence of lettuce in the donair. Adil Asim, the owner of PrimeTime Donair and Poutine in Edmonton, was driven to outbid the other 1,710 participants in the online auction when he learned about the intentions of the competing bidders. Asim revealed, “We initially joined the race to acquire the donair costume, but we stayed in it because of the comments made by those bidding against us.”
This unusual dispute stemmed from interviews with donair shops in the Maritimes, where some owners stated that they would remove lettuce from the costume if they had won it. Lettuce is not typically found in traditional Maritime donairs, as opposed to their counterparts in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The famous King of Donair in Halifax even produced T-shirts proclaiming the “Anti-lettuce donair club.”
The idea of losing the donair costume to those who opposed lettuce was simply unacceptable to Asim. He staunchly defended his decision, saying, “I have been living in Alberta for my entire life. I have been eating and selling donairs here for the past 40 and 18 years, respectively. I can confidently say that approximately 90% of the donairs we sell here in Alberta include lettuce.”
Asim’s resolve to win was solidified when he had the opportunity to see the costume in person. Originally commissioned by the province of Alberta for a traffic safety campaign against driving under the influence, the costume had been consigned to storage after the campaign was abandoned due to its perceived lack of seriousness. Covered in dust, the 56-inch (142cm) tall costume was meticulously designed by puppet designers Christine Papalexis and Bill Bryan, the latter famously known for his co-design of the iconic Marshmallow Man costume in the 1984 film, Ghostbusters.
Asim’s determination was further bolstered by his research, which indicated that commissioning a new mascot suit would cost well over US$20,000. Therefore, he was prepared to invest significantly to secure the costume. In the end, PrimeTime Donair emerged victorious in the auction, outbidding the previous bidder by a mere $5.
The last-minute bidder who placed the penultimate bid was Steve Wallis, an enthusiast of “stealth camping” in Canada. Wallis decided to participate in the auction as a tribute to his late wife, Jessica, as the late-night donair snack reminded him of their pre-marriage visit to Nova Scotia. They embarked on a donair-filled adventure, sampling various restaurants claiming to be the birthplace of the donair, and indulging in unconventional donair creations such as donair pizza and donair egg rolls. Wallis thought it would be a great opportunity to leverage the media attention surrounding the donair costume auction to raise funds for food banks in Edmonton.
However, just before the auction ended, Wallis reached out to Asim and proposed allowing him to win the auction if they collaborated on a fundraising initiative for charity. Asim readily agreed and pledged to organize a donair-eating contest or a stealth camping event to contribute to the cause.
Still, the question remains as to who will wear the coveted donair costume. Asim, given his larger physique, doesn’t believe he’ll be able to squeeze into it. He humorously remarked, “I suppose we’ll be accepting applications.”
In conclusion, this unprecedented bidding war over a donair costume exemplifies the passion and enthusiasm Canadians have for this unique culinary creation. It showcases the dedication of individuals like Adil Asim and Steve Wallis, who went to great lengths to preserve the integrity and traditions associated with donairs, while also using this opportunity to support charitable endeavors in their communities.
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