Winnipeg Blue Bombers Game Day

July 2

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12 HOME GAME PLAYBOOK THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ./, ATTRACTION /( ( !'- ), 1#((#*! ",0-. On July 3, Shawarma Khan will team up with the Blue Bombers and East India Company as part of an Albert Street fundraiser/block party in support of the Give30 campaign and Winnipeg Harvest. Bring a Tin for the Bin and meet players, Buzz and Boomer and the Blue Bomber Cheer & Dance Team at the Blue Bombers 2015 Season Kick-Off event from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The second annual Give30 Fast & Furious Feast — an all-you-can-eat meal with desserts from Kawaii Crepe — follows from 8:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. All proceeds from the sale of $25 meal tickets will be donated to Winnipeg Harvest. &/ *&. -*#&- Pay culinary homage to some of your all- time favourite players when you choose these specialties at Shawarma Khan Named for Milt Stegall, this is a healthy plate of garlic, hummus and two salads topped with chicken -.!&& -& Named for Doug Brown (Big Bird) this wrap doubles down on the chicken #! #, A giant wrap filled with multiple meats, falafel and all the fixings 1,." ) %"( $IFDLPVUUIFGVMMNFOVBU K@9O9JE9C@9F;GE Q $AE .AEDA;C for the Winnipeg Free Press HE MAY NO LONGER BE PROTECTING KEVIN GLENN OR OPENING HOLES FOR CHARLES ROBERTS, BUT IT'S FAIR TO SAY OBBY KHAN HAS AN EVEN BIGGER PRESENCE IN THIS CITY NOW THAN HE DID DURING HIS PLAYING DAYS WITH THE WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS. - ince retiring from the CFL in 2012, the former offensive lineman has established himself as a successful entrepreneur, opening his own Exchange District restaurant, Shawarma Khan, and partnering in another enterprise, Green Carrot Juice Company on Osborne Street. While he could have easily returned to his native Ottawa or moved elsewhere when his playing days were over, Khan says he can't imagine calling any other place home. "Without a doubt Winnipeg is my home. It has been home for me since 2006 when I got off the flight (from Ottawa). I have a lovely wife (Meaghan) from Winnipeg and a beautiful son (Sufiyan). I had no intention from 2006 ... to ever leave Winnipeg," he says. Khan spent six seasons with the Blue and Gold after being picked by the team in the Ottawa Renegades dispersal draft. He came out of retirement briefly in 2012 to join the Calgary Stampeders but bowed out the following season. His football career was nearly derailed in 2007 following a bout with Crohn's disease, which saw him lose close to 100 pounds from his nearly 300-pound frame. While he eventually returned to play, the incident prompted him to begin thinking about life after football. After mulling over several ideas, he decided to open his own restaurant and Shawarma Khan was born. "The idea of being a business owner really stuck with me. I like the idea of being in charge. I like the idea of working really hard. I like pressure that is constant. And I just thought I could be successful," says Khan, who is already planning to open a second Shawarma Khan location next year. In addition to its own stand-alone location on McDermot Avenue, Shawarma Khan operates four mobile restaurants at Investors Group Field. Odds are you will see Khan there on game day serving up food, operating the cash register or posing for pictures with fans. "I love it," Khan says of interacting with the fans. "It's so fun to work the concessions and walk the halls. Fans will come up and want a picture. Usually the first thing they say is 'Holy crap, have you lost a lot of weight!' or 'Why you so small?' I say I'm not a football player anymore, I'm a businessman." Shawarma Khan's menu reflects Khan's two passions – football and business. Some of the more notable items include: the Wrath of Khan, a giant wrap loaded with meat; Big Bird, a chicken wrap named in honour of former Winnipeg defensive lineman Doug Brown; and the Stegall Salad, a combination of garlic, hummus and salad topped with chicken and named for the loquacious former Bomber receiver. "I chose the speciality items because Doug Brown and Milt Stegall are good friends of mine," Khan says. "Doug Brown is Big Bird because he's tall and kind of dorky and he looks like Big Bird. It's done with chicken because Doug loves chicken. The Wrath of Khan was a no-brainer. Everything but the kitchen sink goes in there. And anyone who knows Milt knows he only eats chicken and salads. That's why he's got that great body." Even though he's no longer butting heads with D-linemen or linebackers, Khan's days are no less hectic than when he was still playing. Quite the opposite, in fact. His day begins at 5 a.m. so he can get a workout in before heading to the restaurant (he says he could still play if someone were to call) and he returns home around 7 p.m. to spend time with his family. "To be an entrepreneur you have to love what you do. And I love to work hard." Another thing Khan loves is helping others. He has given freely of his time to a number of causes including the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, Variety and the Children's Hospital Foundation. Khan is also one of the local organizers for the national Give30 campaign, which asks people to fight hunger during Ramadan by providing donations to food banks. ❚ Post-football life tastes pretty good to Khan Love at first bite: Fans at Investors Group Field can enjoy the wraps of Khan at four mobile restaurants. Photo by Darcy Finley

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