Consumers

Great Tastes of Manitoba

Great Tastes has entertained viewers since 1991, and there are many stories still to tell! Manitoba’s most-watched cooking series is back for a 35th season to connect consumers with our province’s nutritious, affordable ingredients and the passionate people who produce them. That’s over 500 episodes of television, 1,509 recipes, and 70 stories about the people who work in agriculture that home cooks can access anytime. Ninety-one percent of Great Tastes’ viewers have tried one of these recipes at home and 99% say they were happy with the results.

Great Tastes is hosted by popular Winnipeg media personality, Dez Daniels. Each week Dez is joined by chefs, dietitians and food experts – including Chef Anna Borys with Manitoba Beef Producers – representing local farm organizations who share recipes made with ingredients grown right here in Manitoba.

In celebration of the 35^th anniversary season of Great Tastes, the producers have partnered with Manitoba Ag Days to create a series of documentaries about the community of passionate people who work in Manitoba’s agricultural and agri-food sector. One in twenty jobs in Manitoba is in the agriculture and agri-food sector.

“In past seasons, we have primarily showcased folks who work in food production – livestock and grain farmers – from across the province. We’ve compiled over seventy stories about farms and agricultural communities and everyone we’ve met has been so welcoming and genuine in their passion for what they do” says Great Tastes’ Senior Producer, Donalee Jones. “Sharing the stories, not only of the food produced on the prairies but of all the ways agriculture impacts the life of an average Manitoban, is a great opportunity.” Viewers will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at a world of agriculture that goes beyond the farm gate.

The series also has a fresh look for Season 35 and the brand has expanded beyond the Saturday evening television broadcast. Full episodes of Great Tastes can be viewed across Canada on The Rural Channel, and content is released all week long on the Great Tastes social media channels. “YouTube viewing is much more accessible now than it was even 5 years ago,” says Jones, adding “it’s not just for short format videos anymore. Streaming long-form content on YouTube and other platforms is much more common now thanks to the popularity of Smart TVs.” This presents an opportunity to inspire more Manitobans to cook with local ingredients and provide a closer connection between them and the food on their plates.

The series is produced by Frank Digital with funding provided by the Government of Canada and Manitoba Agriculture through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership and Manitoba’s farmers and ranchers through their non-profit industry associations: Manitoba Beef Producers, Hello Canola, Manitoba Chicken, Manitoba Crop Alliance, Manitoba Pork, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers, Manitoba Turkey Producers.

Season 35 of Great Tastes airs on CTV Winnipeg, Saturday’s at 6:30pm CST starting September 7th. MBP is featured on September 28 and November 16. Full episodes of Great Tastes can be streamed on demand at greattastesmb.ca or on the @GreatTastesTV YouTube channel. You can follow along with exclusive behind-the-scenes content, recipe tips, meal plans and more at @GreatTastesMB on Facebook and Instagram,