'A big heart': Smoke's Poutinerie founder Ryan Smolkin remembered for fun persona

Ryan Smolkin, the zany, Smiths Falls, Ont.-bred entrepreneur best known for his restaurants serving poutine smothered in an endless array of toppings, has died. The founder of Smoke's Poutinerie Inc. was 50. He died Sunday of unexpected complications from a recent surgery, the company said Monday, adding that he dreamt of achieving "global domination" with the Ajax, Ont.-based brand. "He wanted to be in every city and every country in the world and that's what he preached from day one," said Smoke's president and chief operating officer Mark Cunningham, who Smolkin chose to be his successor. Smolkin started Smoke's in 2009, slinging hefty heaps of poutine topped with ingredients like pulled pork, bacon, cheeseburgers and butter chicken. He chose poutine simply because it was "unique," Cunningham said. At Smoke's, Smolkin called himself the chief entertainment officer, a role that saw him curate more than 30 varieties of the fry-based dish his chain would sell. He also starred in a sma