If ever a hot dog merited its own movie, the Dragon Dog would be the one.
Stuffed with a bratwurst sausage, Kobe beef, fresh lobster and garlic topped with truffles and tomatoes from the south of Italy, this is not your average Ball Park Frank.
So when Coquitlam filmmaker Evan Chan was coming up with ideas for his next documentary project, the Dragon Dog seemed like the perfect subject.
"I thought it was a really cool concept," he said. "There is someone out there making a really expensive hot dog."
That "someone" is DougieLuv, a Vancouver food truck operator who is the central figure in Chan's film, Dragon Dog: The $100 Hot Dog. Throughout the 16-minute short, he exudes energy, explaining to the viewer his love for tubesteaks and the people who eat them.
He also tells the story about buying two $2,600 bottles of Louis XIII cognac - an ingredient in the Dragon Dog - at a B.C. Liquor Store when he was first perfecting the recipe.
"They said, 'What's the special occasion?'" he tells the camera. "I said, 'I'm making hot dogs with them.'"
Ingredients like cognac and Kobe beef are what make the $100 Dragon Dog one of the most expensive dogs in the world.
But purchasing DougieLuv's signature menu item comes with more than just a meal. He brings the customers into his kitchen and shows them how the dog is made before they get to sit down and enjoy it.
Chan captures the full experience in his film and said it is DougieLuv's personality that made the project a success.
"He has a really interesting story," he said. "He is very passionate about his business. It is always nice to see someone who really enjoys what they are doing."
In the film, DougieLuv explains that before he started the DougieDog food truck, he struggled with a panic disorder and anxiety. Launching his business helped him get his life back on track and makes him excited about getting out of bed every day, he tells the viewers.
To celebrate the launch of the documentary film, Chan and DougieLuv are holding a contest that will give participants from anywhere in the world the opportunity to try the Dragon Dog.
Contestants are being encouraged to post their story on the DougieDog Facebook page explaining why their hometown is the best place to host the first Dragon Dog Party. Chan said DougieLuv will bring his ingredients anywhere in the world and make three of his most famous creations in the privacy of the contest winner's home.
The contest is open to everyone and submissions can be made at www.facebook.com/DougieDogHotDogs anytime up to Dec. 20. The winners will be announced on New Year's Day 2014.
