Wednesday 5 October 2016
Award-winning television network UKTV has commissioned advertiser-funded travelling cookery show John Torode's Korean Food Tour (10 x 60') for Britain's leading Pay food TV channel Good Food.
UKTV has partnered with Hyundai Media in South Korea and the Korea Communications Agency (KCA) to fund the ten-part series. The deal was brokered by The Bridge, who facilitated the co-production between Denhams TV, UKTV and Korea's Hyundai Media broadcast arm, supported by the Korea Communications Agency. Argonon International is the distributor.
The series follows acclaimed TV chef John Torode as he reveals the huge breadth and diversity in Korea's culinary delights. Torode immerses himself in both traditional and modern South Korea, trying a selection of Korea's 300 different national dishes.
Torode returns to Good Food to host his latest gastronomic tour following the standout success of his two previous adventures broadcast by UKTV: John Torode's Malaysian Adventure - funded by Matrade, 2016) and John Torode's Australia (funded by Emirates and Tourism Australia, 2014). UKTV has commissioned shows with a number of funding partners for its Dave, W, Yesterday and Good Food channels, including Red Bull Soap Box (Red Bull); Crackanory (Audible.co.uk), The Indestructibles (CasioG-SHOCK), Battlechefs (P&O Cruises) and Find My Past (findmypast.co.uk).
Produced by Denham Productions, John Torode's Korean Food Tour visits temples, street food stalls, restaurant kitchens, joins families in their homes, heads up mountains, takes a trip to the seaside, and goes to festivals and feast days, all in search of Korea's finest taste bud treats. In each episode Torode cooks up one of the classics and then puts his own spin on some more contemporary style dishes. Every week he chooses his favourite dish, ending the series with a list of his top 10 national dishes.
Series Producer is Janice Gabriel and Executive Producer is Grace Kitto from Denham Productions. UKTV's Commissioning Executive Victoria Summer, who is executive producing the show for the broadcaster, said,
The trend for Korean cuisine just keeps growing in the UK, so where better to send John Torode on his next adventure? John Torode's Korean Food Tour explores the country's incredible and unique dishes, and also celebrates the nation's beautiful landscape and colourful culture.
UKTV's Director of Commercial Partnerships, Sally Quick, added,
We're really excited to be working with Hyundai Media and the KCA on this project; John Torode is a big draw for our Good Food audience and two previous John Torode series (Australia and Malaysia) have been some of the top performing shows on the channel - so we are confident Korea will be extremely popular.
Grace Kitto from Denham Productions said,
It's fantastic to be working with John Torode on his next Asian food title. We're delighted to be bringing the secrets of delicious Korean food to a wider audience.
John Torode's Korean Food Tour will air on Good Food in Q2 of 2017.
Since John Torode's Malaysian Adventure premiered in January it has been watched by 1.48m people on Good Food, and by a total of 1.89m when you include repeats on UKTV's W channel. The top-rated episode was up 148% on Good Food's slot average. Good Food is the fourth top Pay Entertainment Channel for ABC1 Profile viewers, at 50%.
END
Notes to Editors
About Good Food HD
Sky / HD 247, Virgin 260 - goodfoodchannel.co.uk
Good Food features the biggest names in food including Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, James Martin, Rick Stein and The Hairy Bikers and has something to inspire and entertain everyone. Alongside these the channel seeks to introduce viewers to new formats and chefs from around the world like Luke Nguyen's Street Food, Peter Kuruvita's Mexican Fiesta and You Gotta Eat Here. Delivering a raft of exciting originations such as Choccywoccydoodah, The Roux Scholarship, John Torode's Malaysian Adventure and Madhur Jaffreys Curry Nation - Good Food appeals to both the expert cook and those who enjoy food-led entertainment shows like Masterchef and The Great British Bake Off. Good Food is the UK's leading pay TV food channel with access to the best culinary talent and a passion for all things in the kitchen.
About UKTV
UKTV is the multi-award winning media company that reaches 42 million viewers a month. UKTV's eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, Watch, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food - include the most popular non-PSB channel in the UK and account for 9% of the British commercial TV market. The company's most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £283m and EBITDA of £74.1m. It invested £123m in programming and related launches last year, and is becoming an increasingly significant investor in UK creativity. UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC, alongside programmes originally shown on ITV and Channel 4. The network embraces technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories. Now celebrating its 22nd year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British television broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.