Hockey legends Doug Gilmour and Guy Carbonneau face off in the Holiday Inn Express® Readiest Breakfast Challenge Canada as part of a partnership with MVP Group.
Guy Carbonneau defeats Doug Gilmour in the Holiday Inn Express®breakfast showdown
TORONTO (April 4, 2019)– The Holiday Inn Express®brand, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG®), knows that whether its guests are hockey players, sports analysts or super fans, a hot and fresh breakfast is the key to fueling up before a big game. To celebrate the rollout of the new Express Start® Breakfast Bar in Canada,the brand challenged two Canadian champions and hockey-rivals – Doug Gilmour and Guy Carbonneau – to create the ultimate breakfast creation in the READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada. Hockey analyst and former player Mike Johnson acted as referee and sampled the competing creations from the judge’s stand.
In a spirited Toronto versus Montreal showdown, Gilmour and Carbonneau had three minutes to create their game-winning breakfast using only ingredients available at the Holiday Inn Express brand’s Express Start Breakfast bar. The signature breakfast bar features more than 30 items to choose from, including hot and fresh options such as fluffy pancakes at the push of a button; freshly cooked bacon, eggs and sausage; healthy alternatives such as hard-boiled eggs, turkey sausage and fresh fruit, and is available at 100+ Holiday Inn Express hotels in Canada.
The two hockey legends went head-to-head in a race to develop the most inventive breakfast creation that was judged based on its deliciousness and creativity. Ultimately, Carbonneau was crowned the winner with his “Power Play Pancake Cup,” made with a fluffy pancake cone filled with fresh scrambled eggs and sausage. This bested Gilmour’s “Gloves Off Breakfast Sandwich,” a biscuit topped with strawberry jam, a sausage patty, scrambled eggs and cream cheese.
Guy Carbonneau, Montreal hockey great and READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada Winner, said:“With one of the oldest rivalries in hockey history, I knew I had to bring my A-game. So, I packed all sorts of breakfast greatness into The Power Play Pancake Cup. It feels great to be the winner of the Holiday Inn Express READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada.”
Fans can watch the action unfold when the READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada launches on the Holiday Inn Express digital and social channels today.
Jennifer Gribble, Vice President, Global Holiday Inn Express, Mainstream Growth, commented: “A high-quality, hot breakfast is a key differentiator for the Holiday Inn Express brand and a major driver of guest satisfaction, and we are excited to share the READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada with fans across the country. We know the Montreal versus Toronto rivalry runs deep. Together with Guy Carbonneau, Doug Gilmour and Mike Johnson, we hope to inspire Canadian fans to fuel up for game day with our new fresh and hot Express Start breakfast.”
To celebrate his big win, Carbonneau is inviting fans to create their own game-day breakfast combo at Holiday Inn Express hotels nationwide. Guests will receive 15% off their stay when they book at holidayinnexpress.com/readiestbreakfastchallenge.
For more on the READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada, visit holidayinnexpress.com/readiestbreakfastchallenge.
