A woman faces the camera, smiling.

Mary’s Kitchen Crush showcases Mary Berg’s cooking skills and heart

When I first met Mary Berg, it was to shadow her during her MasterChef Canada Season 3 audition. As we spoke that day, I was struck by her enthusiasm and passion for food, and her humour. She went on to show that during MasterChef Canada, eventually winning Season 3. We reconnected during the filming of Berg’s first television series, Mary’s Kitchen Crush, and she hasn’t changed one bit.

Debuting on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, Mary’s Kitchen Crush has Berg’s touches all over it, from the recipes she makes—three to four originals per episode inspired by someone who has made a meaningful impact on her life—to the show’s set, sprinkled with photos and other personal items. In the first episode, it’s Berg’s mother, Myra, who arrives to enjoy the fruits of her daughter’s labour via an herb and garlic stuffed lamb tenderloin with oven-roasted asparagus, garlic and herb flatbread, and a strawberry-rhubarb galette for dessert.

“The reason I did catering was that I just wanted to share my food with people outside of my own kitchen,” Berg says during a break in filming last year. “The fact that I get to share my recipes with people through different avenues is really exciting.”

The program’s production company, Proper Television, is smart to let Berg be her charming, geeky self, madly waving her arms around (and uttering some truly bad jokes) as she creates tasty plates that are accessible and easy for home cooks. Thirty episodes of Mary’s Kitchen Crush were filmed—with a total of roughly 145 recipes—over a two-month production schedule.

“I’m a little bit of a Type-A personality and a control freak,” Berg says with a laugh. “It was basically me sitting in a barcalounger at my cottage writing and working.” Berg wrote all of the recipes, tested about half herself and tested the rest with the show’s culinary team. The goal is for the recipes to work and for viewers to actually make them. And while she loves nothing better than to spend an entire Sunday tweaking a recipe, Berg knows home cooks simply don’t have that time.

“All of the recipes for this show, and anything that I’m developing in general, I think, ‘Could my mother do this?'” Berg says. “She’s not great in the kitchen, and if Myra Berg can do it anybody can do it.”

Mary’s Kitchen Crush airs Sundays at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Image courtesy of Bell Media.

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21 thoughts on “Mary’s Kitchen Crush showcases Mary Berg’s cooking skills and heart”

  1. Where does she get her wardrobe. Really loved her white dress with purple and green flowers with Ben Mulroney interview eTalk.
    I really like Mary’s fresh take on healthy, delicious recipes.

    1. I really would like to watch your show, but your lipstick is so loud, and your dress is so aggressive, that I just can’t!

  2. When will you put the recipes on the internet. for everyone to try.

    it is hard to get the exact measures from her on TV.

  3. My wife & I watch your show. We will look for your next. By the way we enjoyed it.

      1. Recipes do not appear. Just short clips from the show. As much as I love the show, if I can’t get the recipes then I cannot see me continuing to tune in. I want to make Mary’s Kitchen Crush recipes in my own kitchen and that’s not possible with the format CTV is using right now.

        1. Don’t know about them not being there before but the recipes are below the clips from the show now. Keep scrolling down! I’m thinking about the carrot cake now…

  4. I love the show, but there’s no way the average person can type the recipes out during the show or while watching the short clips, and I also need the directions to go along with these fantastic recipes. Please supply the written recipes for each episode, just like my favourite cooks, bakers, and chefs from the food network do.

  5. sick to death of cooking shows with women done up to look like 1950’s stepford wives. Male chefs can wear baggy pants, a tee shirt, crocs and a backwards hat. Female tv chefs have a full face of makeup, perfect hair, a fabulous outfit and of course 3 inch heels. Total nonsense.

    1. I really love your show. Would like to be able to get some of your recipes especially the warm kale salad u did on May 12th show.

    2. Try the link again and scroll down below the video! The recipe for carrot cake was definitely there!

  6. Looking for recipe for warm oven roasted kale salad. Would love to serve at a dinner party this coming weekend.
    Enjoy watching the show on Sunday evenings.

  7. The dinner plate in the intro looks like my moms pattern. Is it bridal rose?

  8. Sorry but must admit I can’t stand the show, or rather the chef. I am not doubting Mary’s talents and ability but her personality is a definite turn off. Also, what young mother or dad can arrive home after a difficult day at work and try to prepare a nutritious several course supper for their family and look perfectly calm while trying to rush back out the door to take their children to their sporting activities.
    Give Mary a personal “make over”, she is in dire need of one….

  9. Where are the recipes for Mary Berg’s Kitchen Crush? I have checked website on CTV since the series started and they don’t show any recipes. Some of us can’t AFFORD cookbooks and would like to see the recipes. I started to taped the show on Sunday but stopped because there are no recipes written down anywhere. Why?????

  10. I enjoy Mary’s Show. I would like to know where I can buy the pretty green measuring cups and spoons she uses on the show. Thank you.

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