Fries, cheese and gravy already get the individual attention they deserve in today’s foodie society, so it’s high time then to fete the delicious results of their sublime combination.

That is precisely what a new Toronto startup is planning for a late August weekend. Toronto Poutine Fest, the city’s first-ever dedicated celebration of the Canadian dish, promises to pay proper homage to the almighty poutine.

“The fact that Toronto hasn’t had a poutine festival yet is insane,” said Melissa Chien, co-founder, along with two others, of Joylister, the fledgling events company throwing the event. “It’s embarrassing.”

Organizers are expecting more than 400 lovers of salt and fat to converge on The Beer Academy, at 75 Victoria St., from 5 to 10 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 22, to partake in an all-you-can-eat poutine situation.

For $35 (purchase tickets at Torontopoutinefest.com) you get all of the poutine you can eat — vendors will be filling sample bowls all night long — three cups of craft beer selected specifically to pair with the various types of curd, fry and gravy combo and a vote to crown the Poutine King of Toronto.

Nick Laliberté, co-owner of four-year-old Poutini’s House of Poutine on Queen St. W. near Dovercourt Ave., is looking forward to the showdown — but he’s not concerned about competition for the illustrious title.

“We’ll go there, we’ll have some fun and if we win that’s great,” he said. “If not, that’s fine, too.”

Poutini’s will be competing against four other local poutine-makers including Coquine restaurant, who just might be topping their fries with duck confit and smoked provolone, Great Burger Kitchen, with a chicken, curry and heavy cream, Lou Dawgs, who is going with pulled pork, and The Feisty Jack Mobile Food Co.

Poutini’s will be serving its traditional poutine, said Laliberté who waxed enthusiastically about the squeak of cheddar curd, the richness of gravy and how such a simple, messy dish can be interpreted so many different ways.

“For just three ingredients you can really have a lot of variations between poutines,” he said. “Everyone can make it their own way.”

That will be one of the best aspects of the festival, said Chien. Eaters will finally be able to try many different types and styles of poutine at once because they’ll all be in one place.

The idea came to Joylister, a four-person company that creates “unique events,” a few months ago and has gathered steam ever since.

“We love poutine,” Chien said. “You can’t go wrong with it.”