By Kelly Dick/Contributor
It’s not every day TV crews come to film in rural, small towns, but an article about the food at The Burner Restaurant & Lounge in Malakwa piqued the attention of the Food Network’s award-winning show, You Gotta Eat Here!, starring funnyman, John Catucci.
They network contacted the owners of the converted sawmill burner-turned restaurant, Tamryn and Nathan Koebel, of Vernon about filming there.
The restaurant has won six awards to date; four platinum and one gold from SnoRiders Magazine, and the Trip Advisor Award of Excellence in 2014.
For two days, cast and crew of You Gotta Eat Here! were on location, filming in the Burner’s kitchen and restaurant. People came from as far as Kamloops to partake in the complimentary dishes and to be part of the interviews.
Catucci made interviewers feel at ease with his quick wit, continuous banter and definite humour during his non-scripted dialogue. (They only have one scripted line, their catchphrase “You Gotta Eat Here!”) Catucci could often be seen between scenes, posing with fans for photos and interacting animatedly with children.
You Gotta Eat Here! airs all over the world on Food Network, Discovery, National Geographic, TLC, BIOGRAPHY and UKTV. The filming of The Burner will be aired as part of the Food
Network’s Season 4 of You Gotta Eat Here! in Spring 2015.