CANNES: FremantleMedia is bringing a brand new title to MIPCOM 2016, which promises to leave viewers feeling warm inside. Familiar Taste sees well-known faces thanking those people who have had a major impact on their lives by sharing with them a surprise meal they have cooked themselves.

Co-developed by Zhejiang Satellite and Purity Media, the deal to distribute the format rights internationally was brokered through FremantleMedia China CEO Vivian Yin following a successful competitive pitch with other international producers and distributors.Familiar Taste is the first Chinese property that FremantleMedia has brought to the market as part of FremantleMedia’s wider strategy to use its network to give local producers an international platform for their content.

Each week in Familiar Taste a celebrity – aided by the show’s hosts – prepare the surprise culinary treat for the person they love or admire. It could be a parent, a sibling, an old primary school teacher or sports coach. Through interviews we learn why this person means so much to the personality and the significance of the dish they want to prepare to thank them. Having established a plan of action, the host then helps to prepare for the big occasion: accompanying them as they shop for the best produce, advising on the preparation of the meal, and helping dress the dining space.

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All the while, they hide the preparation from the loved one, sometimes with comedic results! As the emotionally-charged surprise is revealed, our celebrity is able to thank their guest in the most delicious way possible – through smell, taste and enjoyment of the food they have lovingly prepared and shared.

FremantleMedia executive VP of global acquisitions & development, Vasha Wallace, said: “Familiar Taste is a beautifully warm and hugely emotional show that will have viewers laughing and crying in equal measure. It cleverly uses food as a means of saying thank you to those people we sometimes take for granted. This is the first time we’ve brought a Chinese format to the international market place and we’re really excited that we can support Zhejiang Satellite and Purity Media in providing a showcase for it at MIPCOM 2016.”

Zhejiang Satellite TV Station director of strategic development center, Hangying Yu, said, “Familiar Taste conveys sincere emotions through delicious food and presents more possibilities of a food show to audiences by breaking the traditional ways to do it. It uses more interesting format design to genuinely let food and flavor express love and provide a more profound connection between food and emotion. We are so delighted that this Chinese format can be distributed to the world. And we hope that by this kind of culture spread, we could let the world better understand China.”

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Purity Media general manager Jinma said: “I’m proud to say that Familiar Taste can be called a dark horse in the TV shows aired this year. The program is totally original and designed by our team based on tons of research and discussion. Both the critical acclaim and excellent ratings are the reasons why it has attracted such global attention. This show is so unique in that it’s not a conventional food show. Every ordinary dish contains a little untold touching story. That’s why Familiar Taste could attract those super stars’ participation and stand out in these years’ countless outdoor reality shows. Also I believe that the key element of the show is universal. People all have this kind of experience to feel love and pay gratitude by having a Familiar Taste.”

Season One of Familiar Taste proved to be a rating success in China when it was broadcast on Zhejiang Satellite earlier this year. The show gained an average 1.3 and came first in its time slot – and the broadcaster has already commissioned a second season.

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