Dedicated to providing international audiences with entertaining, exciting and fun food programming, Gusto TV puts a premium on the diversity of its content, showcasing cultures across the globe and bringing them to viewers\u2019 screens. The Canada-based food channel is \u201ca place where all cultures can come together to celebrate culinary traditions and differences,\u201d says Chris Knight, president and CEO of Gusto Worldwide Media. \u201cFood is the one true universal language, and Gusto speaks all dialects. From Sri Lankan to Greek, Vietnamese to Kenyan, our catalog features over 40 different cultures and cuisines.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Gusto\u2019s programming takes viewers along on cross-continent culinary journeys, it focuses on matching the power of its unique ideas with the strength of its production values as it reimagines what the culinary genre can and should be. \u201cBy producing all the content from end-to-end, we create a superior product,\u201d says Knight. \u201cSince our inception, our goal was not only to build a global brand with exceptional production values but build a community around the love and joy of cooking. All our content revolves and evolves around that idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
The demand for cookery titles is scaling up, one fact that Knight sees as an inevitability due to what the genre\u2019s content provides: comfort, escape and the tools to up one\u2019s game in the kitchen. \u201cThe two things people are doing now more than ever before is watching content and cooking,\u201d says Knight, nodding to the conditions caused by the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic. \u201cFood content is that sweet spot where entertainment meets necessity, providing an escape from our busy lives and sparking joy. Audiences can taste and travel the world from the comfort of their own home. Plus, who doesn\u2019t want to be a better home cook?\u201d<\/p>\n
Amid COVID-19, Gusto has proven itself adaptable to the unforeseen and unprecedented circumstances, putting in new measures to keep its staff safe as it resumed production. The company recently wrapped production on a new series,\u00a0CombiNATION Plates<\/em>, which sees its hosts combine classic dishes from two different cultures in each episode.<\/p>\n In addition to newcomer\u00a0CombiNATION Plates<\/em>, Gusto is serving its audiences such compelling cookery titles as\u00a0DNA Dinners<\/em>,\u00a0hosted by Tyrone Edwards and following 16 individuals as they explore and cook their way through their diverse heritages using DNA analysis. \u201cIt is emotional, powerful and uplifting, taking viewers on an emotional roller coaster ride of self-discovery, with delicious dishes along the way,\u201d says Knight. In\u00a0One World Kitchen<\/em>, young female hosts cook up plates from their respective cultures.\u00a0Latin Kitchen\u00a0gives viewers the chance to learn how to make traditional recipes from its hosts, traveling among the cuisines of Mexico, Spain and Venezuela. There\u2019s also\u00a0The Urban Vegetarian<\/em>, in which host Desiree Nielsen shows how to transform veggies into delicious courses.<\/p>\n Since its launch in North America, Gusto TV has managed to establish a presence in the global marketplace, rolling out in Asia and Europe. And the company has no plans of stopping there, according to Knight. \u201cWe are looking to continue dipping our toes in new markets,\u201d he says, adding, \u201cWe are also excited to eventually launch an e-commerce business, which COVID has currently put on hold. As AVOD and SVOD become increasingly popular, we are also looking to tap into that huge potential and grow our content delivery. Gusto has big plans for the future!\u201d<\/p>\n